Love Games
by LittlePrincessNana
Summary: We grow up with the idea that games were meant for fun. No one ever told us that they could also be dangerous. In a moment of weakness, Lucy agrees to one that could very well put not only her heart, but life as she knows it on line. But, can she simply turn and walk away from the Game Master? (LaLu - LaLu week)
1. Foreward

**Welcome to LaLu Week 2016!**

A fabulous brainbaby from _xxShyxx_. Here comes Laxus and Lucy Week! It can be followed here and on Tumblr (starsandthunderstorms) as well as Deviant art (SuperAndroid18-z-af).

As always, I'd love for you guys to let me know if you're planning on writing for this pairing week. Leave me a note in the reviews so I can go follow and read the gloriousness you create!

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 **Fairy Tail Laxus X Lucy Ship week event the date has been set on January 20-26 2016.**

THE THEMES ARE:

 **Day 1:** Aquarius  
 **Day 2** : Devilish  
 **Day 3:** Dream  
 **Day 4** : Sparks  
 **Day 5** : Manga  
 **Day 6** : Games  
 **Day 7** : Prey

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This week will obviously be rated M (it's me, we're talking about... Of course that's the rating…). I'm laying down the blanket disclaimer here:

 **Please be aware that this is M for a reason.**

Because, I love LaLu (Yay for OTP), this will be the start of a full length chapter story. The prompts will be the first seven chapters in the story. I will continue to post chapters once the week is done and I am super excited about this.

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Until then and always - keep writing, reading, reviewing, following, and favoriting!

Big hugs!

Princess Nana


	2. Aquarius

**Hi everyone!**

 **Welcome to the start of LaLu week! FINALLY! I've been so excited for this to start and have to give a huge shout out of thanks to xxShyxx for putting this week together! Be sure to check other authors here and on Tumblr for artwork done by some talented artists!  
**

 **A quick note. This will be the start of a full length chapter story that will span well past this week. It is a twist on the timeline set out by Hiro Mashima, starting directly after the destruction of the Eclipse Gate and GMG. It will NOT be canon. While some pieces will be similar, I've twisted things into an AU of sorts.**

 **I do not own Fairy Tail, all the cred goes to the main man Hiro. But the plot is my own.**

 **Without further ado, Day 1**

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 **Chapter 1 - Aquarius**

Sleep was knocking on her door, but her mind refused to shut down. Too many thoughts, decisions, regrets and wishes kept the cogs turning. The room was quiet, save for the even breathing of sleep coming from the bed across the room. Flopping onto her back, Lucy pushed up to glance across the room at the sleeping form of Erza. She envied the requip mage, for many reasons. But in that moment, it was the ability to tune the world out, to turn away from the past and just sleep.

They'd fought against dragons, helped save the world from complete annihilation. That alone was enough for pause, at least in her mind. It was still quite unclear just how they'd managed it. She knows that for a split second, she'd seen the future. Not only had she held her future self as she died, but then she'd seen herself die yet again at the claws of Mother Glare's offspring. She'd run it over in her head a million times, and could only come to one conclusion. Someone, somewhere, somehow… They'd been granted a miracle, but at what cost?

Once it was over and they were able to return to the Honey Bone Inn, kegs were tapped, alcohol and merriment flowed freely. They celebrated their victories, both in the games and after. Fairy Tail was on top. Everyone was seemingly unaffected, choosing to not dwell on what could have been but focusing on the joy of life. Even she had played her part, plastering a smile on her face and forcing laughter at jokes that she didn't really find funny. She couldn't let her Nakama down, couldn't let them know the confusion and pain that still stirred in her breast.

The words of her future self still echoed in her mind, the scene of watching herself die playing over and over again in her head on repeat. " _I really wanted to go on more adventures..."_

She didn't want to contemplate the future that they had avoided, but her logical side didn't know when to let go. No more adventures would have only meant one thing. She was one of the last few to survive in that future. No more Fairy Tail, no more missions, no more family… _No more Team Natsu_. Her breath stalled in her throat as a lance of pain shot through her chest. A world without Erza, Happy, Wendy, Gray or Natsu. Her life had come to revolve around them, they were her closest friends, her family, love itself.

 _Natsu…_

She would never admit it aloud, it was too late anyway. But, she'd always just taken for granted that they would be together. Everyone else did too. The brush with near death had propelled her forward. She decided that it was time to make the first move. Until they'd dug out of the wreckage. It was not her that Natsu ran to. It wasn't her that he was asking "Are you alright?" She'd stood motionless, frozen, as she witnessed him confess his love to Gray. In front of everyone, before sealing the declaration with a kiss. It had hurt, maybe even worse than watching herself die. But, she couldn't begrudge either of them for loving who they did. _At least they found what they were looking for…_

Giving a heavy sigh, she threw the covers back and quietly slipped from the bed. Sleep would not be coming any time soon at the rate she was going. Some fresh air and a walk seemed like it might be what she needed. If she were home, she'd pop in a movie and just veg until her eyelids finally lost the battle. But, she wasn't at home. She was in a shared hotel room, and she wasn't about to wake Erza. The requip would morph into the mother hen she often could be and ask questions, would demand conversation. Lucy didn't really want that, she wanted to forget.

After quickly dressing, she quietly slipped from the room and breathed a sigh of relief when no one was down below. Once outside, she found the air not any more comfortable than it had been in the room. It was hot, a sticky humidity hanging in the air that wanted to cling to her skin like a film. It mirrored the way she felt, heavy and overburdened, but it beat laying in bed stewing on it. The streets were relatively quiet, only a few people were still out and about as she wound her way down the street.

The city was still recovering, parts of it still destroyed and uninhabitable. But it was coming alone, the section they were in already restored. It was amazing really, just how quick the magic council had been able to start putting things back in order. It had only been a couple of days before that the very buildings she passed had been reduced to piles of rubble. Wrapping her arms around herself, she made her way towards the water fountain she knew was ahead. There were benches there, if she remembered correctly. And if not, then she could always sit on the edge of the fountain and let the sound of the water calm her restless thoughts.

"Lucy? Is that you?"

She stopped just steps from the fountain at the sound of her name, her head lifting with pinched brows. The voice sounded familiar but she had not really expected to run into anyone. Turning towards the voice, the confusion abated with a small smile settling on her lips. Where she still had vivid memories of a small, flirtatious boy, he had definitely grown in the years she'd been frozen on tenrou. Instead of the round cherub face she remembered, there was now a well defined jawline that bared the smallest hint of a five o'clock shadow. His jade green eyes were no longer wide with childhood innocence, instead narrowed in maturity and intelligence. His blond hair was longer now, wavier and slightly messier than she remembered, transforming him into an attractive young man. The biggest difference by far though, and one she wholly approved of, was his style of dress. In lieu of the suits he used to wear, trying to emulate his older counterparts, he now wore a pair of dark slacks with his light yellow shirt untucked.

"Hey Eve," she replied as cheerfully as she could muster. Unfortunately, this was the exact thing she was trying to avoid.

"What are you doing out here all alone?" he smiled as he made his way over. "I mean, I know all of the dragons are gone and this part of town has been stabilized. But… you never know."

 _How sweet, worrying about my well being._ It was a touching sentimentality, one she knew she should really appreciate but just couldn't at the moment. "Oh, thank you but I'm ok," she chuckled uneasily. She really just wanted to be alone. "Was just needing some fresh air."

"I know what you mean," Eve nodded before gesturing towards one of the benches. "Was kinda stuffy back in our inn. Ichiya's a blithering mess, and there's only so many ' _I really love you men'_ I can take."

Lucy couldn't help the laugh that slipped from her lips as she took a seat. She perfectly envisioned that scene, his vocal mimic almost completely dead on. And while disturbing, it was quite comical. "I can imagine," she giggled. "So, just out for an evening walk?"

"Pretty much," he sighed. "How about you? You look down, you feeling ok? You weren't hurt, were you?"

She blinked at his rapid fire comments. That was one thing that had not changed, he'd been as quick to question everything as a child. "Oh no, no. I'm fine," she lied before giving a heavy sigh. Saying she was ok would not make it better, and she knew that. She'd been doing it all evening. "Well… I will be."

"Wanna talk about it? I'm pretty good at listening, even if I don't have the answers you need."

Side-eyeing him, she offered a sad smile. _He's a sweet kid._ "You're kind, Eve. Thank you."

His arm brushed, seemingly innocent, against hers before he offered her a soft, reassuring smile. "Hey, we were friends before you guys disappeared. It's what friends do."

Not really sure how to respond, she simply nodded. It was what friends did, she'd done it more times than she could count for Levy, Cana, even Erza. But for her to lay her burdens at someone else's feet? It just wasn't her. They would ask questions that she didn't have the answer to. Or worse. They would see her as the weak, coward she knew others saw her as. _Maybe that's where I need to change? Just throw myself to the wind instead of thinking so much…_ Glancing back over at the kid-made-man sitting next to her, she pursed her lips a moment.

"Eve, did you experience anything weird during the Eclipse Gate fiasco?" she ventured only to clarify when he gave her a strange, questioning look. "I mean, like a small dream or vision?"

Recognition lit in his jade eyes. "Yeah, I did actually," he replied rather awkwardly. "Was a little on the creepy side."

 _To say the least…_ She shifted uncomfortably on the bench, a deep frown settled on her lips. It wasn't everyday someone could say they watched themselves die twice. "I saw myself surrounded by those little dragons and I… I just knew I was gonna die."

He gave her a kind, but sympathetic smile as he thoughtlessly reached for her hand. "Well, I for one am glad you didn't," he said softly as his fingers rested atop hers. "Is that what's bothering you?"

Lucy glanced down at their hands, her brows knitting for a moment. It was a gesture of affection, yet she didn't feel the warmth she would expect. It was just the feeling of chilled fingers atop her own. _Kinda like Gray… I wonder if that's what Natsu feels when they hold hands._ "One of a few," she replied thoughtfully. "I mean, it got me thinking."

"About what, if I may ask?"

Glancing curiously over at him, she gave a shrug. "About what I should be doing with my life, I guess," she replied plainly. "There's a couple of changes I should make, maybe go on a few adventures of my own."

Eve studied her for a moment, his concern clearly shining in his eyes. "I can understand that," he mused. "It's pretty normal to feel that way after something like that happens, but you're not thinking about leaving Fairy Tail are you?"

She'd never admit it aloud, but the thought had crossed her mind for the briefest of moments. But, she knew she could never leave the family she had there. "No, never," she answered firmly. "That's home for me, and I'd miss them too much. But…" Her words trailed off as she tried to put the mess in her head into words. It wasn't a very easy task, but she had to start somewhere. "Maybe focus on working on myself. Take a few solo missions, try doing a few with some of the other guild members, train a little. Stuff like that."

"Oh, ok," He smiled with a sigh of what sounded like relief. "Had me worried there for a bit, but you know if you did ever leave…" He paused as his eyes averted to the fountain in front of him, a brush of pink tinting his pale cheeks. "You could always come over to Blue Pegasus. The Trimens could always use another strong mage."

 _How fucking adorable is that? Men don't blush anymore._ She found both the blush and his offer endearing. "Eve," she smiled. It was the first time she'd smiled in days. It felt like it had been weeks, maybe months. "You're too cute, you know that?"

His eyes widened at her words, the pink on his cheeks deepening. "Th-thanks," he smiled shyly. "But, it's late and we should both be inside. That city curfew and all, but…"

"But?" Lucy pressed when his words trailed off, her curiosity piquing.

Eve's lips parted and closed a few times. "I'd like to keep talking and, well… Um…"

She chuckled softly at his sudden nervousness and nudged his shoulder with her own. "Come on," she grinned. "You got me talking, and we're friends. So… just say whatever it is."

"Well, I don't like seeing you look so down," he hesitated. "So… Maybe… Would you maybe want to get dinner with me tomorrow?"

Lucy blinked at the offer. Dinner was like a date. _Am I really ready for that?_ She just did not see herself being ready for anything of the romantic nature, or for anything at all really. A date would lead to more, and she needed to just focus on herself.

"I mean…" His trembling voice broke into her thoughts. "You don't have to accept or anything. I just… Well I heard you kinda missed your birthday and all because of the games so… think of it as a late birthday dinner."

"That…" Lucy started but stopped herself short. Her initial reaction was to kindly decline, but those words echoed in her head again making her doubt. _I really wanted to go on more adventures..._ "That's really sweet, Eve."

"Well, I try," he smiled shyly. "As long as you don't mind having dinner with an Aquarius."

"An Aquarius?" She blinked, unsure what that had to do with the price of rice in China.

He gave an enthusiastic nod of his head. Yeah," he started gleefully. "You're a Cancer and I'm an Aquarius. My birthday is January 24th. Our signs are said to be only fairly compatible," he said before pausing to give her the cutest wink. "But I think we could prove them wrong."

Lucy couldn't stop herself from chuckling at his boyish charm, but was equally amazed at his knowledge. "You know astrology?"

"It's kind of a hobby of mine," he gleamed. "I have most of the charts memorized, as well as other random tidbits on the different signs."

"That is a really cool hobby to have," she awed. It was no secret that she had a passion for astronomy and astrology, given her magic, but it was rare to find others with the same hobbies. _Just throw myself to the wind instead of thinking so much…_ Her thought from earlier came back around, and it suddenly clicked. Here was a really sweet guy, willing to sit and talk with her at her lowest, asking her on a date. _Just maybe this is the start of change._

"So?" he pressed. "How about it? Feel like tearing up the town with dinner to celebrate your birthday?"

A smile began to tug at the corners of her lips. He was sweet, caring and kind. Just the kind of guy she probably should give a chance. "Yeah, I think I would," she nodded. "Let's prove the signs wrong by being great friends."

"Awesome!" he exclaimed as he jumped up from his seat and offered her a hand. "I'm sure your guild will be as busy as mine tomorrow. So… I'll come get you at six?"

"That works," she chuckled as she took his hand. She could feel his enthusiasm in the trembling of his hand.

His excitement shone in his deep moss colored eyes. "Six it is," Eve grinned. "But let me walk you back.

 _And a gentleman to boot._ She glanced back down the road before giving him an appreciative smile. "Oh no, you don't have to. Head on back to your place and I'll see you tomorrow evening."

"Well, if you're sure…" he hesitated. "I don't mind."

"Eve, really… it's ok," she chuckled. "I'd hate for you to get caught and the Honey Bone is just down the road."

He studied her for a moment, giving a thoughtful glance down the road before giving her slight nod of his head. "Ok, but only because you insist. Do me a favor though?"

"What's that?"

"Smile. You're really pretty when you smile."

It was suddenly her turn to blush as she felt the heat rise in her cheeks. She was used to random compliments, but they always came from guys when she was out. Men who were looking for a quick piece of ass, but his was so sincere. "Th-thank you," she stuttered shyly. "I'll try because you asked me to."

Eve gave her a bright smile as he reached for her hand. Bending at the waist, he pressed his lips to the back and gave a gentle squeeze to her fingers before he let go. "Good night, Lucy."

"Good night," she said with a faltering smile that fell the moment he turned. It had been a gallant gesture that should turn a girl's insides out. _Or at the very least make their heart skip a beat or something…_ There was no skip or even a small flutter of any emotion one way or the other, and that was a disappointment. She watched him walk off, doubt creeping back in. _Well, it's just dinner with a friend..._

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Laxus grabbed his coat from the chair it had been slung over, heading to the hotel room door without so much as a glance back at the sleeping woman in the bed. She'd wake up without a note or any gesture of even gratitude, but he didn't rightly care. He'd met her at the bar he'd wandered into earlier in the night. He couldn't exactly remember her name. Perhaps it was Jessica. Or Mandy or Becky. _Katrina… I think._ It didn't really matter, he wasn't likely to see her again. He'd warned her beforehand, it was just a hook up. There was nothing special, just an exercise for him to relieve the stress of everything he'd been through.

It wasn't exactly a lie. He was still struggling to wrap his head around his father's deception, the low levels to which the man had sunk to. It was his own flesh and blood. Yet for the first time, he truly understood exactly why his grandfather had kicked the man out. Then the dragons came. There hadn't been time to fear death or destruction. No time to prepare for a possible end. They'd all been thrust into a battle of unbeatable proportions. He knew he'd seen himself lose, the large Jade Dragon was so close that he could still feel the overwhelming heat of his breath upon his skin. But then something had happened, a glitch in the fabric of time or perhaps a hallucination. He told Wendy at the time they'd figure it out later, yet days had passed and he was no closer to an answer than he had been then.

The sound of laughter yanked him from his thoughts, and he glanced around to find he'd already made it halfway across town. His eyes caught on a couple in the doorway of a closed shop he was passing. Young, perhaps a few years younger than himself, they were holding hands and standing close to each other. There was no doubt that they were lovers as he watched the man reach up to brush a lock of hair from the woman's face.

" _I love you."_

The woman's cheeks took on a deep red that he could see despite the dark conditions. His brows furrowed as a deep ache blossomed in his chest when he caught the unmistakable appearance of love and adoration that shone in her eyes when she responded in kind. " _I love you too."_

 _I wonder what that's like…_ The thought caught him by surprise. It hadn't really ever occurred to him before, and perhaps it was the near brush with death or the second chance at life. But for just a small moment, he had to wonder what it was like to have someone love him that much. Unfortunately, he knew his life. He knew where he came from and what lie ahead of him. He wasn't cut out for a monogamous relationship. It came with hassles that he couldn't, or wouldn't, afford to deal with. _Focus on making Jiji proud, shit like that would only get in the way._

Pushing himself forward, he quickly made his way towards the Honey Bone. He was past ready for a quick shower and a comfortable pillow. Thanks to the efforts of, whatever her name was, sleep would come easy and fast. Something that was in short demand as of late. His mind was generally too restless, too overwhelmed to just shut down on its own. Women and exercise had become a daily staple in his diet for that very reason. They exorcised his _demons_ and allowed him the solace of dreamless slumber.

The fountain came into view and his feet slowed, yet again. His storm blue eyes narrowed as he evaluated the two blondes sitting on the bench. Their words were soft, but loud enough for him to pick up as he drew closer. Not wanting to be seen, he slipped into the shadows of an alcove and watched. He was not one for dropping eaves, and he didn't quite get why he was even bothering to begin with. Curiosity got the best of him the moment he'd identified the female as the rule abiding Celestial mage sitting with the youngest member of Blue Pegasus. _Blondie, out meeting a boy after curfew? No one would believe this shit…_

He contemplated just moving past, it would be the _him_ thing to do. The voice of his grandfather in his head stopped him, or so he told himself. She was Nakama. Out on the street at night, alone with a male. While the kid looked about as threatening as a wallflower, he knew he shouldn't leave her fate to chance. Makarov would have his ass if something happened and he was there to stop it. Grimacing, he resigned himself to stay, at least until the kid moved on and Blondie was on her way back.

" _So, Maybe would you maybe want to get dinner with me tomorrow? You don't have to accept or anything. I heard you kinda missed your birthday and all because of the games so think of it as a late birthday dinner."_

Laxus arched a brow at the invitation, but even more so at Lucy's apparent hesitation at the offer. Not that he could blame her. She was clearly every inch a woman, he knew all too well. The Celestial mage might be a member of his guild, but he'd taken note of her curves. Many times, if he were to be upfront about it. It was no secret that she was a looker, an off limits one, but gorgeous still the same. The boy with her was just that, a boy.

" _You're a Cancer and I'm an Aquarius. My birthday is January 24th. Our signs are said to be only fairly compatible, but I think we could prove them wrong."_

He gagged at the obviously failed flirt, the cheesy wink throwing it way over the top. _I'm an Aquarius… Please, son. Just… don't._ His fingers curled into his fist, sheer will-power and the undeniable ass whipping that Makarov would give him kept him rooted to the spot where he stood. Beating the kid's face in suddenly seemed like a really great way to relieve any last vestiges of stress he might have left over. Just to save the idiot boy from face planting with such a stupid line ever again, or so he told himself. It had nothing to do with the little green eyed monster that reared its ugly little head.

" _Yeah, I think I would. Let's prove the signs wrong by being great friends."_

Her seemingly light-hearted response made him blink in disbelief. _Really Blondie? You're fucking killin' me here!_ He could not, for the life of him, fathom why she would do that. Perhaps the beatings she'd taken in the games had knocked a screw loose. He'd felt really damn bad about that crap. She'd had the one fight in the bag, he knew it as well as he knew his middle name was Yury. But, his asshole father had rigged that. Then there'd been the bitch in the naval battle. He had to give it to her, she took it all in great stride and didn't give up. That impressed him more than Erza's defeat of one hundred monsters. A dedicated S-class mage could power through when they believed, but it took a hell of a lot of guts to keep going when you know you're on the losing end of the stick. It didn't really matter though. She was sex on legs, so he knew there couldn't be a shortage of men lining up for her. Real men, not boys like… _Oh, fuck._

The realization hit as he watched the sickening display of the kid actually kissing her hand before parting. He watched the sadness filter back into her eyes, and knew without a doubt. He was there, before. He'd seen Natsu with Gray, everyone had. Including her. There was a pull in his chest, a sensation he wasn't familiar with, as he witnessed her shoulders sag. Doubt clouded her features, and for the first time since he'd walked up on the late night rendezvous, he could agree with the kid on one thing. She looked a hell of a lot better when she smiled. _Why the fuck is she wasting her time dicking around with kids?_

Before he knew what he was really doing, his feet were moving him forward. The closer he got, the more his nostrils flared at the scent that wafted off of her. _Strawberries dipped in honey… fuck, I could eat her for days._ The thought snapped him out of whatever trance he was in only to find himself an arm's reach away from her. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun, revealing the gentle slope of her neck. The small t-shirt she wore hugged her sides like a second skin, highlighting her pinched in waist. Her barely there shorts molded the perfection that was her ass, the hem almost short enough to reveal the bottom curve of what he could only imagine to be the most bite-able cheeks. _And those goddamn thighs of… Seriously? You just got laid._ A cocky grin pulled at a corner of his mouth. Yeah, she was hot.

"Playing around with little boys, I see," he smirked.

Lucy could feel the regret seeping in through every pore as she watched Eve go until he disappeared. Her gut told her that she was going to somehow regret her hasty decision, but her mind screamed that it was just her apprehension over change. She had always carefully thought everything out, weighed every option, bled every thought until it was nothing but a raisin. Her father taught her that life was about checks and balances, hasty decisions led to disaster. _But look at what you got with jumping in with Natsu… a life, family. He couldn't have been ri-_ The sound of a deep voice broke into her thoughts.

"Waaa!" She shrieked as she spun to face her attacker, her face falling at the recognition of the overly large, blond male. Coat slung over a broad shoulder, his button up black dress shirt fitting him way too well and maroon slacks that molded a little too perfectly to muscular legs that went on for days. "Laxus… God, you scared me!"

His eyes narrowed a bit as he studied her. He knew that if it were not for the sound of water falling in the fountain, he'd probably be able to hear her heart racing. Unfortunately, the flush on her face put his mind back in the gutter. "God? I like the sound of that" he smirked. "But do I?"

"Do you what?" she blinked.

"Scare you."

Her nose wrinkled as she looked up at the Slayer as though he'd truly lost his mind. "What? No!" She scoffed, lying through her teeth. "Not in the least." She wasn't about to admit that he did indeed scare her, but not for the reasons he would think. There may have been a time or two, or twenty thousand, that she'd checked the guy out. She'd have to be blind, and dead, to miss the fact that the guy was a good six foot of ' _break me off a piece of that.'_ But despite his village drowning good looks, she wasn't deaf. She heard the talk, the gossip. Hell, she'd seen it first hand in more than a few times. He was the poster child for bad boys, man whores and the dark and dangerous around the world.

Despite himself, a bark of laughter burst from his lips as he watched the range of thoughts cross over her face. He would never tell her, because it was too much fun, but she broadcasted her feelings to the world without ever saying a word. Just one sweep of those honey brown eyes of hers, and he knew she wasn't completely immune. _Well, not blind at least. Maybe there's hope for her yet._ "Uh huh," he snickered before giving a toss of his head towards the inn. "Come on, Blondie. We both need to get in before we get caught, you know how the hens around the guild talk."

"Ass," she bit out before she could stop herself. It got her another deep, resonating chuckle from the man beside her as they fell into step together. Silence fell and she found herself wringing her fingers, a strange nervousness settling into the pit of her stomach. It wasn't that she had any reason to be, and couldn't pin down why she should be edgy all of a sudden. Chancing a glance up at him, she frowned. She couldn't ever remember having an entire conversation with the guy, maybe a 'hey' occasionally in passing. He was the _prodigal_ son returned, and she could admit he didn't seem all that bad. He had bailed them out on Tenrou, and then she'd heard that he'd taken out the entire Raven Tail guild during the games.

Laxus could feel the weight of her gaze. It felt like he was being watched by the Virgin Mary herself, tensing him with its awareness. He had to remind himself she was just his Nakama, not some almighty religious figure. Chancing a glance down at the small blonde, a cocky smirk settled on his lips when her eyes quickly averted and a brush of pink dusted her cheeks. It only seemed to add to the seemingly growing list of things that made her appealing. _She's too fucking innocent, Asshole._ "Didn't anyone tell you it's rude to stare?"

"I hang out with Natsu," she quipped with sardonic smile. _I wasn't… ok, I was staring but way to call me out, Asshole._ "What do you think?"

 _Snarky too? Fuck me._ "And you're a Fairy," he grinned. "Lack of manners and destruction is kinda our thing."

An unexpected peel of laughter erupted from Lucy's lips, her hand quickly coming up to cover her mouth when it seemed to echo on the empty street. She glanced back up at him apologetically, and bit her lip. His lips pulled up into a full blown smile, the slightest hint of dimples denting his cheeks. _Ok, that's not cute. That's just fucking sexy…_ Blinking at her own thoughts, she returned her focus ahead of her. "Glad to see you're ok though," she said sincerely. "Everyone was pretty scattered around and I didn't see you with the Raijinshou at the thing tonight."

His footsteps faltered for a moment at her words, and he side-eyed her before giving a quick nod. "Yeah, had some things to do…"

 _More like someone to do._ It was a catty thought, she knew but she could smell the cheap perfume that clung to his coat as he pulled it from his shoulder to switch it to the other. "I see," she muttered.

He heard the change in her tone, and found himself wondering what the cause could be. He chose to ignore it for a better topic. "So, you really going to dinner with the kid?"

Her brow wrinkled in initial confusion. _What kid is he…_ It dawned on her that he was referring to Eve, and she immediately took offense. "Yeah," she glowered. "What's it to you?

"Nothing," Laxus chuckled. He knew he had her the minute her back went rigid. "Just figured you'd be tired of boys after Natsu…"

"Natsu's my friend."

"So you say."

Lucy halted her steps as they approached the door to the inn, her hands going to her hips indignantly. _How fucking dare he…_ She found herself wanting to slap the crap out of the Slayer's smirking face. "I do," she seethed. "And Eve is _not_ a boy. Not anymore at least, he's twenty-two."

In that moment, Laxus was never more sure he wanted to kiss someone in his entire life. He'd never seen her angry, and he could practically feel it vibrating off of her like a heady pheromone. A woman with fire was a weakness. A beautiful woman with all the rage and flames of banshee, instant kryptonite. "Blondie," he simpered. "He still looks like a twelve year old who's balls haven't dropped."

She glared up at him, his condescending attitude only adding fuel to her fire. _The rumors are true, he really is a grade A asshole._ "As opposed to?"

"I don't know," he goaded. "A real man maybe?"

Her fingers balled into her palms, sheer willpower alone keeping her from wiping his grin off of his face with her shoe. "Well if you see one, let me know," she sneered before turning for the door. _So much for a relaxing wa-_ her thoughts cut off as her steps were halted by a hand capturing her wrist. The touch was warm, almost too hot and it sent a chill up the length of her arm. Torn between shock and confusion, she glanced down at the large fingers holding her in place. There was no way she could admit that something that incredibly simple was robbing her of breath and weakening her knees. "C-can I h-help you?" she stammered as she tried to kick her brain back into gear.

His eyes dropped to watch her pink tongue trek across her bottom, pouty lip, his own mimicking the action reflexively. He could so easily imagine following the glistening trail with his own tongue, giving in to the desire to know if she tasted as good his imagination said she spark he saw ignite in those wide, honey-brown pools of hers only added to the temptation. He knew, without a single doubt, that he could pull her to him and claim her lips for himself and she would willingly come. "No," he breathed. "But, I can help you."

"I… I d-doubt it but…" She swallowed hard and struggled to gain control of her rapidly pounding heart. _Oh Lucy… This is bad. This is REAL bad. You need to run, and you thought the date was a rotten idea..._ She wrenched her arm from his grasp, her hand coming up to cover the flesh that felt like it had been scorched. "F-for argument's sake, how exactly would you do that?"

 _Oh, Blondie… You're making this too easy, Darlin'._ A slow grin pulled at his lips, his eyes narrowing as he studied her. "I happen to know where you can find a real man."

Lucy bit at her bottom lip, trying to ignore the buzzing in her head and the sudden torrential downpour between her legs. He looked every part the predator with that grin and look in his eye. And there was a part of her that wanted to be the prey he sought. He definitely was _all_ man, of that she had no doubt. But while she may be seeking change or adventure, she knew that he was that last way to go about that. "Laxus," she started as her feet slowly inched backwards. Her back met the cold metal of the door handle, a sigh of almost relief slipping out. That meant she was almost to the safety of her room. "Eve is a man, a good one. So, I don't really need your help."

"Well, if you change your mind…" He shrugged, trying to hide the initial disappointment of her so easily giving up. "You know where to find me."

"Unfortunately, I do," She said before turning and yanking the door open. Her feet couldn't carry her fast enough as she ran through the lobby and up the stairs. What terrified her the most was that it wasn't him, per se, that scared her. It was the erratic pounding in her chest. Eve kissing her hand hadn't done a thing. Yet, all Laxus had done was touch her and she was a quaking pile of goo. _I am so fucked..._

Laxus watched her race off, a smirk taking up residence when he could hear her hurried footsteps on the stairs inside. The night air still held a subtle hint of her, of her arousal, and his eyes drifted closed for a moment. She might look like heaven, but she smelled like pure sin. He glanced down at the outline of his arousal in his pants with a sigh. "Down boy, she's not the one we should be messing with anyways." A groan slipped out when it twitched under the fabric. "Yeah, yeah. I know. She's hot as hell but she'd get us into ten kinds of trouble we don't want."

* * *

Eve whistled as he pulled open the door to the inn Blue Pegasus had been assigned to. He was on cloud nine. For years, seven long and arduous years, he had crushed on the Celestial mage. It had been love at first sight. Ok, Perhaps not love. But he knew that if given time and a chance, it could very well be. He was never so sure of anything in his entire life.

He'd been torn apart when he'd been told that she was one of the members of the Fairy Tail members that had disappeared. The thought of never seeing her smile again, or hearing the sound of her voice. It was heartbreaking. He knew then that he didn't stand a chance, their age difference was just too great. But for her to reappear, seven years later. Without aging a day, it was kismet. He was now a man, older than her technically. And to run into her so randomly, it all just went into the _proof_ bucket in his mind.

With light steps, he practically danced across the lobby towards the stairs. His mind replayed their conversation over and over again. The sound of her laughter, it was like church bells on a crisp Sunday morning. Her smile, it was like rays of sun just peaking over the horizon after a night with no moon. His fingers still tingled from where he had held her hand, her skin was like the finest Chinese silk. He admittedly hadn't wanted to let go. _But, she did agree to dinner with me tomorrow!_ Cloud nine was putting it mildly, and there wasn't anything that would bring him down.

"And where were you at? Out after curfew."

The sound of Hibiki's voice stopped him just inside the door to their shared room, and he looked up to find both of his older counterparts eyeing him curiously. "I went out for a stroll," he replied coolly. "I told you guys that."

"Almost two hours ago," Ren smirked.

Hibiki chuckled as he nudged the older, dark skinned mage. "So who was the lucky lady?"

Eve swallowed as his throat tightened in panic. If he told them, Ren would never cease to make fun of him and Hibiki… Well, he knew the archive mage would most likely get ten kinds of pissed. "Th-there's no lady," he stammered as he moved for the dresser. "I just went for a walk, enjoyed the night air."

"Now I know there was a lady," The air magic mage chortled.

 _I really need to work on my lying skills._ "Nope," he lied again as he pulled his sleep pants out. "No lady."

Hibiki caught Eve's reflection in the mirror, his face that of pure disbelief. "Seriously? You suck at poker," he frowned. "Why so secretive? Is it a girl we know? Chelia perhaps?"

"My vote is Wendy," Ren smirked.

Eve shut the dresser drawer before spinning to glare at the two men who had been his idols for as long as he could remember. They were his closest friends, his brothers. But fuck, they were annoying and nosey. "Why does it have to be a girl?"

"Ok, so who's the lucky boy?"

He blinked at the Archive mage. "I'm not into guys, Hibiki."

"We know that," Ren cut in. "But you asked the question, so we're just playing along."

A heavy sigh of defeat slipped from Eve's lips as he leaned back against the dresser. He knew it was really no use in lying. They'd find out the next day, or the day after. Gossip flowed between guilds like water in the open sea. Nothing was a secret, and nothing was sacred. "Lucy," he mumbled as he hung his head. He braced for the ass chewing he knew was coming.

"What?"

"I think…" Hibiki started only to stop abruptly.

He dared a look up to find both men blinking at him in confusion. "I said Lucy."

Ren's brows lifted towards his hairline. "As in Lucy Heartfilia? Lucy of Fairy Tail?"

Eve could only nod as he watched recognition flash in Hibiki's eyes. "Is… Is that ok?"

Hibiki gave a shrug. "Yeah. Why wouldn't it be?"

It was his turn to blink in confusion. A lackadaisical shrug was certainly not the reaction he expected from the archive mage. "B-because," he stuttered. "You… Her… you two were…"

"An item?" Hibiki chuckled. "We were, but us breaking up was a mutual thing, Eve."

That had been the story that had been told, but he'd always had his own doubts. Hibiki had been more smitten than he was at the time. It had come as a shock, at least to him, when they split. "And if I said I was having dinner with her tomorrow?"

The Archive mage gave another shrug. "I'd be ok with it."

"Are you sure?" Eve pressed. "I mean, I can call it off if it re-"

"Eve." Hibiki cut him off. He pushed up from the bed and walked over to grab the Snow mage's shoulders, a soft smile settling on his lips. "I promise, I'm cool with it. I was unfaithful, so us splitting was my fault. She's a really great woman, and I'm just happy she still calls me a friend."

While he shouldn't be surprised, he was utterly speechless. Despite the _ladies' man_ persona they all carried with them, he had genuinely believed in Hibiki's affections for Lucy. It had all been a lie. He felt the burning in his eyes and quickly bowed his head to hide the tears that blurred his vision. How could anyone betray such a sweet, caring woman like that? Hibiki was right, he was lucky she still called him friend. He was struggling with his own anger, wanting nothing more than to punch the older man in the face. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. All he could do was resolve himself to show Lucy that not all men were like that. He was going to cherish her like the delicate flower she was.

"Thank you for telling me the truth," he whispered as he pulled away. "I need to get a shower and then I'm heading to bed."

* * *

 **Laxus... My favorite trouble maker lol. I love him, but yeah. And Eve… he's such a sweetheart. Lucy's gonna have her hands full I think LOL.**

 **But there is day 1! A big thanks to my triplet, GemNika for being my support and letting me know I wasn't completely crazy with the story idea… and for pushing me when I get stuck. I love you!**

 **A quick note, I was sent on an unexpected business trip in the middle of this and ended up sick. Note to self, stay away from Texas. I am the second one in my office to go there and come back with what the doctors are dubbing "the super virus." It's like the flu and a cold all in one. And there isn't much you can do but let it run its course, which seems to be running about 40 days. I am only on day 7 -.- BUT, That is why I am struggling to get all seven chapters done. I have the first 4 and a half done but am still working on Chapters (days) 5-7. So there may be a little delay in posting of those but they will get posted!**

 **Stay tuned for tomorrow... Day 2 - Devilish muwahaha**

 **As always, please follow, fav and review!**

 **Big hugs!**

 **Princess Nana**


	3. Devilish

**Welcome back everyone for Day 2 of LaLu week!**

 **So much excitement going on here for my OTP :D This is definitely an awesome way to kick off a new year! All of the reviews, follows and favs I've gotten so far have been greatly appreciated. So glad to see so many people enjoying the story so far, and to think we are just getting started. I will advise you buckle up and hold on tight because this will be a bumpy ride… a loooong bumpy ride :D**

 **Of course, we all know I do not own Fairy Tail. Good lord if I did, the characters might kill me hehe.**

 **But on to the reading! Day 2**

* * *

 **Chapter 2 - Devilish**

"Lu, you look super hot in that."

Lucy laughed at Cana's reflection as she gave herself one last look over. She had to admit, the dress she'd found did look pretty good. _If I was looking to get laid anyway._ The white summer dress, with its summer floral pattern in shades of blues and purples, spaghetti straps and crocheted empire waistline, fit like a glove and showed off her two best attributes. Her abundance of cleavage and long, tanned expanse of toned legs. She'd hemmed and hawed over the purchase, thinking it was a little too _sexy_ for a dinner outing with Eve. He was a friend, nothing more, and she didn't exactly want to give the wrong impression. But Erza and Levy had insisted she get it.

"I told her that it was very appropriate for a nice dinner date," the Requip mage noted as she glanced up from the book she was reading. "But you will let me know if he is anything less than gentlemanly, Lucy."

"Erza," Cana chuckled. "Wouldn't that be the point? She _wants_ him to not be a gentleman."

Levy threw herself across the foot of Lucy's bed with a heavy sigh. "I wish Jet would stop being a gentleman," she lamented before turning over to look in her direction. "Does Natsu know about this…date with Eve?"

Lucy turned to find all three of the women eyeing her curiously, knowing they all knew her past with the pink-haired Slayer. While she told herself they were just the best of friends, there was no getting over the fact that he'd been her first. Or the fact that she had just assumed they would end up together in the end. "He does," she shrugged as she made her way to the bed to sit down. "He's with Gray and I couldn't be happier for them. I'm glad they finally got the courage to express how they feel, and this is not a date."

"So you keep saying," Erza quipped. "Lucy, it's ok to be honest with us."

Bending over to buckle the ankle straps of her white, heeled sandals, she was glad for the decision to wear her hair down. It created a curtain that she could hide behind. "I am being honest. Natsu's my best friend and I'm happy for him," she insisted. "And this dinner, it's just Eve taking me out to celebrate my birthday. Strictly as friends."

"Uh huh," Cana hummed snarkly. "Strictly as friends, and when did he ask you out again?"

 _Would you just let it go already?_ She hated to lie. Even worse, she hated lying to her best friends. But Erza would skin her for going out at night alone, and she'd have to give all the details. Those details would include a certain blond Dragon Slayer and that would go over like a lead weight. Cana and Levy both would practically eat her alive. The zombie apocalypse would be made real, right there in Crocus. Just the thought of her reaction to the Slayer's fingers around her wrist brought heat back into her cheeks and sweat to her brow. It unnerved her that it was wholly different than the reaction, or lack thereof, to Eve's lips against her hand. One had sent her pulse through the roof and the other made her question the presence of a heart beat at all. "Uh, this morning," she said with a forced smile as she stood up. "Bumped into him on my morning run."

Levy choked on a bark of laughter and pushed herself up to sit. "Lu-chan, since when do you go running?"

She had to force her face to remain complacent as she gave a noncommittal shrug of her shoulders. "Since today, figured I needed a change."

"It's true," Erza chimed in to back up her statement. "She was up and out of the room before I woke."

 _Thank Mavis for an upset stomach_. Between the lack of sleep, restlessness and bundle of nerves, she'd finally said ' _fuck it'_ to laying in bed. She'd decided that perhaps an actual meal would make her feel better. She hadn't gone on a run, she didn't have the energy for it. But they didn't need to know that. She glanced at the clock on the bedside table, and cursed under her breath. _Two minutes till, I need to get down there._ "Ok, Ladies," she said as she grabbed her clutch. "Do I look ok?"

Cana's eyes narrowed in study before a snarky grin pulled at a corner of her mouth. "I'd do ya, so see? No reason to go running."

"You look beautiful, Lucy."

"I agree with Cana, Lu-chan," Levy snickered. "Eve will surely think so too."

 _Gods, I hope not._ Lucy gave another roll of her eyes, making sure to avoid contact with the Card mage. Cana and she had become the best of friends when they'd started training for the S-class trials, sharing secrets with one another that no one else knew. There was no doubt in her mind that the brunette saw right through her lies. It was only a matter of time and place until she'd trap her alone and make her spill the beans on what was wrong. "I'll be back before curfew, Erza," she called out as she hurried from the room.

"Wow, you're look very manly," Elfman grinned as they passed in the hallway. "Hot date?"

She laughed, spinning to face him as she walked backwards. "Just dinner with a friend, but thanks!"

With a wave of her hand she turned just in time to start down the stairs. Her forced smile fell quickly, and heavy the way her feet suddenly felt. Every step drew her closer to the inevitable. _Please don't let this be a mistake._ It was a simple thing, dinner with a friend. A chance to get away from the oppression of reality, an opportunity for her to start focusing on herself and what she wanted. Her steps faltered and slowed as the front door came into view. He was already there, his hands pushed into the pockets of a pair of loose fitting khaki chinos. His sky blue button up dress shirt fell loose at his waist, untucked and the long sleeves rolled up over his forearms. Blond hair still hung messy, the popular 'just out of bed' look suited him. Gone was the little boy that she remembered fondly. He'd grown into a handsome young man, complete with a wholesome _Leave It To Beaver_ look.

The soft smile that had climbed its way onto her lips fell once more as she took in what was making him laugh. Laxus and Bickslow stood in front of him, wearing matching smiles as they spoke. She worried as to what had already been said. How long had he been there? Was the Dragon Slayer teasing him the way he'd teased her the night before? _Surely he wouldn't be smiling like a kid in a… He's not a kid, Lucy._

"Wow, Luce! That dress looks pretty good on you!"

"Aye! You don't look so fat in that!"

Her eyes cut to the pink-haired Dragon Slayer and blue Exceed at the base of the stairs. Her irritation proved she should've met him out. Him coming to get her was just a disaster waiting to happen. "Shut it, Cat!" she warned. "Thanks, Natsu."

"Where ya going all dolled up?" Gray cut in as he made his way over with two glasses, the one with the flames dancing across the top undoubtedly for the fire Dragon Slayer.

"I'm go-"

"She is going to dinner with me," Eve said to cut her off. "And, might I add that you look as beautiful as ever?"

Her gaze lifted from the trio to see the Snow mage smiling fondly as he made his way over. Her forced smile faltered in her own nervousness, her stomach churning up acid that she knew was going to come up at any moment. She could plainly see the affection that swam in the moss green orbs, and that worried her. "He's taking me to dinner for my birthday guys," she anxiously chuckled as she took the hand he offered to help her down the last few steps. _He really is such the gentleman, these assholes could learn a few things._ She caught the smirk that was plastered on Laxus face before he leaned over to whisper into the Seith mage's ear next to him. _He definitely could learn a lot, fucker. Sexy fu- oh shut the hell up!_

"Oh Lucy," Gray frowned. "We totally missed it this year…"

"Crap! I knew I was forgetting something," Natsu added with an uneasy grimace as he reached up to rub the back of his neck. "We should celebrate it tomorrow!"

Lucy's smile softened as she glanced between her two teammates. The pain of rejection could never withstand the love that she felt for them both. How could it when they both did really care for her? "It's ok you guys," she said softly. "Save it for when we're back home. Take me on a mission to make up for it."

"You sure about that?" The Ice-Make mage chuckled. "You know we won't get the whole reward."

Natsu started to nod until a light seemed to go off in his head. "That's not funny, Ice Princess," he scowled. "I'll be on my best behavior so we can pay Luce's rent for her birthday."

It was statements like the Slayer's that had always lead her to believe that they'd be together. It wasn't that she believed any of it for a second. Natsu couldn't hold back to save his own soul, but it was the fact that it was his way of saying ' _I love you."_ It just wasn't the way she had always thought he meant it. _And that's why I gotta make a change._ "Deal, Ash Breath," she chuckled before turning to Eve. "Are we ready?"

"Whenever you are, Beautiful."

Like an old, worn in shirt, an act that had taken years spent living as a wealthy man's daughter to perfect slid easily into place. A demure smile that didn't quite reach her eyes found a home on her full lips, and her head bowed dutifully as though she were blushing as she slid her hand onto Eve's arm. There was not an ounce of warmth in her cheeks and the very reaction made her retch internally, but she'd play the part just to avoid seeing the challenge she knew had to be in Laxus' eyes when they passed him on their way out.

* * *

"We found him sound asleep on the doorstep of the guild, Ichiya still has the picture hung above the bar."

Lucy's head fell back in laughter, her wine glass clutched firmly in hand. The scene he'd been describing playing out so vividly in her overactive mind. It was wretchedly horrible, almost inconceivable, but hilarious none the less. "Oh god," she wheezed with a hand pressed to her side. Eve had kept her laughing almost all evening with his tails of things that had happened in the last seven years. She had to admit that he had quite the knack for putting his own humorous spin on just about anything. "How the hell did he end up in Jenny's underwear anyway?"

"We still haven't figured that one out," Eve chuckled before taking a quick sip of wine. "He claims no memory, but I'd lay money on it being Master Bob's work. The makeup job was a little too similar."

"Poor Ren," she chuckled. She didn't exactly feel bad for the guy, he willingly chose to be one of Bob's disciples of love. Or was it lust? Or just plain weirdness? Whatever it was, he chose it. "So, rumor had it before we left for Tenrou that they broke up and got back together once a week. Is that still true?"

"Nah," the blond male smirked. "They're trying to break Earthland's world record of every half hour, they've made it as far as every other hour. I'm proud of their dedication really."

Another eruption of laughter sprang from her lips despite the ache in her sides. She couldn't recall the last time she'd laughed so much. It was a actually a relief given the dread she'd been feeling about having dinner with the guy in the first place. _Bonus points, he hasn't hit on me._ A twinge of guilt drifted in on the wind at her thought. Being with him, seeing Eve for all that he was. He was exactly the kind of man she should be with. There was no denying that he was an absolute catch. He was kind, very well mannered, a true gentleman, comical, attentive. He dressed and presented himself well, and he was good looking to boot. _He's a nice kid…_ The thought snapped her back, and she choked on the wine she'd just taken from her glass.

"Oh gosh," Eve said as he jumped up and came around to place a hand on her back. "Are you ok?"

Water filled her eyes and she just gave a nod, her throat still trying to seize up as she gasped for air. _Well that's great. Dragons and the future didn't kill me, but I drown on a sip of wine._ She cleared her throat a couple of times, and covered her mouth to cough once more. A cool, steady hand rubbed at her back as she reached for her glass of water, chancing a sip before she dared to speak again. "Th-thanks," she croaked out. Her throat now felt like sandpaper. "Went down the wrong pipe."

Eve knelt down next to her, his hand continuing to rub circles on her back. "I'm sorry," he smiled softly. "I should take more care, not make you laugh so much when we're eating."

Lucy took another sip of her water, everything finally starting to feel normal again. "Nonsense," she said with a wave of her hand dismissively. "It was my own fault, but I've enjoyed the laughing."

"Are you sure you're ok?" He questioned, concern still pulling his thin brows together. "Perhaps we should go, fresh air might do you some good."

"I'm fine," she chuckled hoarsely. "Really, but fresh air does sound nice."

Eve pushed up from the floor, pausing to brush his lips across the top of her head. "I saw an ice cream shop on the way here," he smiled. "Let me take care of the check and we'll go there. It will help your throat."

"Aww, you two are so cute."

The sound of Bickslow's voice made her stiffen, more than the kiss than had been placed atop her head. If wallowing in the pit of despair that was her own lack of feelings for Eve weren't enough, karma seemed hell bent on making her life now a living hell. _Perhaps I should have really died, next thing up will be getting fried by a microwave or an airbag to the face._ Wherever Bickslow was, she knew Laxus was not very far behind. Even when the Seith mage was out with Cana, the Dragon Slayer was generally with them as well.

"Bicks," a gravelly voice warned. "Didn't think we'd run into you two here."

She let out a heavy sigh of annoyance as she lifted her head, her eyes going right to the tall, incredibly well built blond. "We did say we were going out for dinner," she bit out with a less than pleased smile.

"Well, there are _so_ many places in Crocus," Laxus grinned before turning his attention the Eve. "I trust you're treating our _girl_ here with respect."

The younger blond chuckled nervously as his eyes darted to Lucy for a moment. "O-of course, M-mr. Laxus," he stuttered. "We, uh, we were just about to head out for ice cream."

"Hmmm," Bickslow hummed with a smile. "Ice cream sounds good, we sho-ooof."

The Dragon Slayer cut the Seith mage off with a rib to the elbows. "Later, Bicks," he chuckled. "We can't intrude on the kid's date, it's his birthday treat to Lucy."

The way her name just rolled off of his tongue, as though he'd said it a thousand times, irked her. Not because it repulsed her, but because his voice saying it sent an unwanted shiver down her spine that nestled itself right between her legs. She hated it, hated the reaction her body had to him and not to the Snow mage. _I hate him. I hate him. I hate him. Fucking devil._ Her eyes narrowed a fraction before she could catch herself. "Thank you for being so… _considerate_ ," she responded dryly. Keeping the condescension from her tone had proved to be an impossible task.

"You're _so_ very welcome, Blondie," Laxus winked. "But, we will let you _kids_ get going. Be sure to have her back to the inn by curfew."

Eve gave a quick bow of his head. "Y-yes, Sir. Will do!"

Lucy bit her tongue to keep the string of horrible names and creative curses at bay. The restaurant was not the place to go making a scene, and definitely not in front of Eve or Bickslow. Neither of them needed to bear witness to her physically attacking the Dragon Slayer, clawing his eyes out and ripping off his dick to choke him with. She could practically feel her body vibrating from the anger that had welled up inside of her. _Kids. Who the fuck does he think he is? I don't care if he is good looking. Jackass. Miserable son of a Bitch. Puss infected penis leech. Donkey faced, ass whore._

"Lucy?"

Eve's voice pulled her back from the insanity that her mind was becoming, and she blinked. He was staring at her with an odd expression, and she could only imagine that her crazy just might have been showing. "Sorry," she frowned as she pushed up from her chair. "We can go."

"What… What exactly was that all about?"

"He…" She paused, unsure of just what she should say. It was more like she was afraid of what would come out of her mouth if she did. They say that the devil had once been an angel, one held in the highest regard by god himself. Lucifer, whose name translated to mean Brightness, had been a beautiful sight to behold with his pristine wings of white and long, flowing blond hair. He'd been of the highest order, an archangel alongside that of Michael, Gabriel and Uriel. It was only when he had challenged god's throne and had been cast down from the heavens to the fiery pits of hell that his wings had been turned black. _The master of lies, the ultimate temptation..._ Lucy was never more sure than she was at that moment… Laxus just had to be that very fallen angel. He was the devil incarnate, sent there to tempt and make her life a living hell. "He's something of a jokester," she muttered with a roll of her eyes.

"Laxus?" Eve questioned with a doubt-filled chuckle. "He doesn't exactly strike me as the joking type."

Slipping her hand onto the arm he offered, Lucy gave a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. She knew it had been no joke, just as surely as she knew it had all been a direct jab at her. "You have no idea."

* * *

Laxus looked down at his watch and gave a roll of his eyes. He wasn't even really sure why he was sitting down there, other than the whiskey and the lack of anything better to do. It had been an hour and a half since he'd left the restaurant, a good half hour since Bickslow and Cana had bailed to go off to her room. _At least someone's gettin' a piece of ass._ He couldn't even be angry about it. He had plenty of chances to slip off and find his own, but being there when Lucy got back had seemed a better idea at the time.

 _Blondie._ He let out a snort of laughter before taking a sip from his glass. Somewhere between the little chat he'd had with his dick the night before and this morning when he'd woke, he'd decided he wanted to see just how far he could push her till she cracked. He wasn't out to hurt her, and if she showed any sign of pushing back, he'd stop. But, she was this little irresistible morsel that he just couldn't seem to pass up. Nakama or not. Her body alone was worth the game, but then she had that mouth on her. Her anger… He had not really expected her to be as flippant as she was. And god did he have a serious thing for a woman with fire in her veins, they always made for better bed partners. He had no doubts she was as passionate in bed as she was out.

It occurred to him briefly that he'd always been somewhat aware of her presence. How could he not be? From day one she paraded herself in those short ass skirts and little tops, she'd been the object of 'self-love time' fantasies more than a time or two. He'd made an offer once before where she was concerned, and had been promptly rejected. This time though… He'd smelled her arousal the night before. Hell, just the thought of it had him hard already. That was on top of the two times earlier in the day and once last night before sleep that he'd jerked himself off to the thought of her withstanding. _I just need to fuck her already and get this out of my system._

Finishing off his drink, he slammed the glass down the bar top and threw a couple of jewels up as a tip. _A damn hour and a half, and she still ain't back…_ The possibilities of what she could be doing soured his stomach, giving birth to a grimace on his face. It really shouldn't, he knew that. He knew she wasn't his and there was no way he wanted to claim her in that fashion, not long term. But the thought of her with Eve, it pissed him off for reasons he couldn't put names to. He didn't want to think about her writhing in pleasure under a kid, not before he got his hands on her first. He turned in his seat, resigning himself to head to bed, when he caught sight of movement out of the front window. He pushed up from the chair and slowly walked towards the entryway, stopping when he saw her approaching the front door.

Lucy looked up to see they were nearing the door of the inn, and pulled her date to a stop. It was better if they said their goodbyes there. Going in meant that others in the guild could be down in the bar. They'd want to chat with her, ask him tons of questions. She was still unsure how they'd made it out without Mira seeing them, but her luck only went so far. "I really want to thank you," she smiled as she turned to the blond beside her. "I had a wonderful evening, Eve. Dinner, ice cream and a walk in town square… it was a wonderful birthday present."

The Snow mage smiled, his foot shuffling against the gravel as he reached for her hand. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," he replied shyly. "I definitely enjoyed my time with you tonight."

Laxus leaned against the doorway into the entryway, close enough to hear the conversation and just far enough back to see without being seen. Not a hair on her head was out of place, her makeup still as pristine as when she'd left. Her dress… His eyes traveled up the length of her legs, her heels accentuated toned calves and lifted her already toned ass. Everyone had commented earlier oh how good she looked in it, he couldn't help but imagine how good she looked out of it. A self-satisfied smirk rose on his mouth, breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding slipped between his lips.

 _Well this is awkward…_ Lucy glanced down at the hand holding hers, her teeth capturing her bottom lip to chew it nervously. His hands were small, finely structured and smooth. They were exactly what she would expect and… _Everything his aren't._ Giving a disgusted shake of her head, she glanced back at the door before returning Eve's smile. "We…" She paused, telling herself to forget the asshole asleep up in his room. "We should definitely do it again sometime, I think I need more friendly outings."

Laxus audibly groaned and quickly slapped a hand over his mouth. He hadn't meant for that to be outloud, and he probably knew he looked like a complete idiot. But had she really just said that? _More friendly outings? No, Blondie. You need real ma-_ He stopped his brain from going down that road. He was not Elfman, even if that was what he knew the Celestial mage needed.

"Well," Eve smiled as he gave her hand a squeeze. "Glad you said that because I was wondering, I mean… If you don't already have a date, would you maybe want to go with me to the ball tomorrow night?"

Lucy felt her twenty-second poker mask beginning to crack. She should have seen that coming, but it wasn't really what she'd had in mind. Two nights, back to back. That was definitely a date. Panic started to set in, the tingling in her feet telling her it was time to run. But she kept herself rooted by sheer will. "I... uh…" _Crap. What the hell do I say?_ She knew the logical answer was no. The sensical side dictated that she was not feeling it, and the look of sheer worship in his eyes said he was feeling it and then some. She opened her mouth to just decline but there was a little devil sitting on her shoulder, and he looked a little too much like a certain tall, blond Dragon Slayer. Pitchfork waving, the devil shouted his chant over and over again. _Told ya so. Told ya so._ "I'd love to."

Laxus felt his jaw go slack as he stared out the window. He'd watched her fidget, saw the look of utter terror that flashed across her face. It had been a shoe-in that she would reject the diaper-wearing, pacifier sucking toddler. He had been willing to bet several month's pay on it. _Thank fucking god I didn't…_ He considered going out there just to ask her what the fuck was wrong with her brain, but the scene before him changed to hold him frozen in place. Shock faded to anger, and his fingers curled into his palms.

Seeing the Snow mage's eyes widen in surprise, Lucy waited for the guy to start jumping up and down in excitement. The words had literally just fallen out of her mouth. Her lips parted to quickly add on that while she would love to, she had to decline. But, she didn't get the chance. Before she knew it was happening, he pulled her into his arms and his lips met hers. Her eyes widened in surprise, an awkward feeling of absolutely nothing settling in as his head tilted. _Oh fuck. Fuck me. Pull ba- NO! You can't go hurting his feelings, Lucy! Pucker up and count, yeah. There's a rule or something, right? One, one-thousand. Two, one-thousand. Three, one-thousand._ She made it as far as six before she felt his tongue sweep over the seam of her lips, and she abruptly broke away with a gasp for air. For the first time that night, she didn't have to fake the heat she felt flushing her cheeks.

"I… I'm so sorry," Eve quickly gasped as he took a step back. "I just… I got excited that you agreed. Please forgive me if it was too forward."

Her fingers lifted to press against her lips. Not because she'd finally felt something, but more because she wanted to make sure they were still there. There was nothing. No tingles, no sudden rush to kiss him again. Just an absence of all feeling one way or another. "N-no," she stammered. "It was… It was fine, nothing to forgive."

A knowing grin pulled at Laxus' lips as he leaned back against the doorframe. He shouldn't be happy, that poor kid had absolutely no clue. It was rather sickening really, a scene taken straight out of one of those raunchy ass romance novels he'd had the misfortune of hearing Cana recite to Bickslow once. He didn't think that crap could really happen, but the way the kid had kissed Blondie… _Yeah, she doesn't look remotely impressed._

"You're so beautiful, Lucy," Eve sweetly smiled. "Thank you for being so nice and I really do look forward to tomorrow night."

Lucy forced herself to smile in return, instead of running the hell inside like she wanted to. This had escalated too quickly for her to handle. Lying and forcing herself to feel something she did not wasn't on her list of things to change. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to hurt his feelings. She was stuck. Her word was everything to her, and she never went back on it so she just would have to suck it up. "Me too," she whispered. "But… But, I should get in before Erza comes looking for me."

"I understand," Eve chuckled giddily as he once more took her hand and lifted it to his lips. "I will come get you for seven tomorrow evening. Good night, Beautiful."

"Good night, Eve," she whispered before turning and forcing herself to slowly walk inside. Frustration and guilt overwhelmed her once she was inside the door, blinding her to anything else. She just wanted to get upstairs and hide under the covers until it was time to go home. _I'm so stupid. God! Why? He's so damn nice and I'm… I'm horrible._

Laxus felt a twinge of guilt when he saw the misery on her face, but he quickly pushed it down. Guilt meant he was ready to throw in the towel, or that he cared about the grief he knew he was causing her. He wasn't even remotely close to either, she was a willing participant in this. She could stop him at any moment. "How was the date, Mrs. Robinson?"

Lucy's footsteps faltered as she reached the steps. _Really?_ "Go fuck yourself," she groaned.

"Hey, I'm not the one out on dates with little boys," he smirked as he pushed off of the door frame. The closer he got, the more he could make out her honey-dipped strawberry scent. It was slightly tainted with the sickeningly sweet scent of ice cream, but it didn't diminish the desire it stirred within him.

Turning, Lucy poured every ounce of anger she had into the glare she shot at the Slayer. He was the entire reason she was in this mess to begin with. _Ok, maybe not the whole reason but.. yeah._ "For the last damn time," she gritted out. "Eve is not a little boy. He's a twenty-two year old man!"

 _Fuck, she's hot when she's mad._ He couldn't help but grin up at her on the steps. The fire that raged in her eyes, the angry set of her full lips. He contemplated kissing her, just to taste her emotions. But she wasn't ready yet, he wanted her to want it. "I know what his age is, but he's still a damn kid."

"Why? Because he still looks young?" She questioned, ignoring the fact that the only thing that separated his body from hers was a flimsy ass railing. "Sounds to me like you're just insecure about becoming an old man."

Laxus' brows arched at her sharp-tongued dig. He hadn't exactly expected that. "No, Blondie," he smirked. "I'm a fucking man and I know it. Him… I'd be surprised if he's sprouted a single fucking hair on his balls."

"You're a pompous asshole."

"I can be, but you on the other hand, you're a damn woman," he shot back. "Stop fucking around with the little kids and graduate up to someone who can handle your ass."

Her eyes narrowed as her fists clenched. He was goading her, just like he did the night before and she was letting him. That only served to piss her off even more. He made her lose control which added to the proof that he was indeed as dangerous as the rumors said. "Eve can handle me just fine, Jackass."

"No _Eve_ can't. Natsu was a step up and that's saying a whole hell of a lot."

Lucy blinked at the comment, wondering where he was going with this turn. "N-Natsu? What the hell does he have to do with any of this?"

Laxus saw the confusion in her face and shook his head, unable to believe that she was going to try and play the _dumb blonde_ card with him. He had her pegged for being smarter than that. "Please," he scoffed. "Give me a little more goddamn credit than you do all the other morons around here. You fucking reeked of ash and cinnamon for a good couple of months."

She felt the color drain from her face when realization hit. Gajeel had commented on it a couple of times when Natsu had been crawling into her window. It had only gotten worse after the one and only time they'd slept together. _Stupid sake… I had been so dumb._ It hadn't been planned, and was purely bittersweet now. She could only reason that it had been strictly a test for him, and she'd been drunk enough to think he had truly wanted it. The fact that Laxus had the Slayer's heightened sense never once occurred to her. "We…" She paused, suddenly unsure of herself. "We were just friends."

His head fell back as laughter erupted from his lips. That may be true now, but wasn't always that way. It was what had led him to making the offer he had during the Phantom Lord crap. He'd let his jealousy and greed get the best of him. "Bullshit, Lucy," he chuckled sardonically. "Any slayer who was near your ass knew you slept with him… At least once that I'm pretty fucking certain about." He saw the way her lips parted, the small gasp that slipped out beckoning him to lean in against the railing. His eyes dropped for a moment to venture between the valley her plunging neckline displayed. "But then I guess Tenrou and dragons changed a few people, made them reassess their lives. I was as shocked as you were, I'm sure, when him and Gray came out with that tonsil hockey session the other night."

She felt the air rush from her lungs as though he'd physically punched her. Hot tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, and her chest tightened under the weight of his words. "That's a low blow," she whispered. "Even for you."

A stab of remorse ripped through his chest at the sight of her tears, a sigh of aggravation slipping from between his lips. It was a reminder that he wasn't dealing with a simple toy, but damned if he wanted to deal with it. "It's not a blow at all," he shrugged as he pushed back from the railing and started to make his way around. "It's the fucking truth and so sorry if that shit hurts. When you're ready to grow up and stop messing around with kids, come see me. I'll show you what a being with a _man_ is like."

Her fingers tightened on the railing, her entire being going rigid with apprehension as he drew closer. She feared him touching her, feared that he would prove himself right. Because he was, everything had changed. Everyone else had changed, but she was still stuck hanging in the balance. She just didn't want to admit it, not to him of all people. "You're wrong," she sniffled. "About all of it. But most of all, you're no more a man than Natsu or Eve."

Laxus paused beside her, his eyes darting to bore a hole into her back. He could've let her have the last word, but her quick tongue only offered him a challenge he couldn't back down from. He reached for the banister, trapping her between his arms as he lowered his lips to her ear. A chuckle slipped from his lips when he felt her trembling, anxiety mixing with the candied scent that drifted from her pores. "Tell me, Blondie," he smirked. "Did you count in that pretty little head of yours when he kissed you? One, one-thousand. Two, one-thousand."

"N-no!" she lied as she scrambled to figure out just how the hell he would know. His breath against her skin, the sound of his teasing tone in her ears, it played hell on her ability to think straight. Her knuckles went white as she choked the wood beneath her fingers, pulling herself as close to the banister as she could get just for the smallest sense of relief. _Please don't touch me… Or just touch me so I can die. Kill my ass and be done with it. Please, Mavis… someone help me._

He heard a whimper come from the quaking blonde, and gripped the rail to keep from pulling her up against him. He could practically taste her fear. Mixed with the subtle scent of arousal that started to lace through the honey and strawberries, it caused an ache for her that he'd never once experienced before. "I bet you didn't even make it to ten before you bolted. It doesn't count if you don't at least make it ten seconds," he hissed as he trailed his nose against the shell of her ear. "I've yet to kiss a girl who didn't walk away dripping, and I'd bet my life that you were as dry as sandpaper when you walked in." A sly grin rose on his lips when she gave that delightful little sound again. "I can smell you now though, and I haven't even kissed so much as your cheek. Yet."

Lucy felt the heat of him against her back dissipate as he pulled away, her eyes clamped shut in attempts to block out the images he created in her mind. It wasn't Eve's lips she imaged moving against hers, not his tongue begging for entry. It was the tall, blond Dragon Slayer, and that only drove the guilt deeper into her chest. Eve was a good, kind man who seemed to actually care for her, but it was the evil Slayer that evoked any kind of response from her. She heard his footsteps retreat up the stairs, her body sagging against the railing when she was sure he was out of sight. He truly was Lucifer, and she hated him with every fiber of her being. He'd destroy her, in ways that even death could not. She had to remind herself of that, use it to solidify her resolve. She was going to go with Eve to the ball, she'd make herself feel. The Snow mage clearly was the right choice, it was just a matter of getting herself to believe in that.

* * *

 **Laxus… you can be such a butthead! But seriously, my knees would be weak too if he was teasing me. And poor Eve… I feel a little sorry for him because, well.. yeah.**

 **For those interested, I will post pictures of Lucy's dress and Eve's outfit on my tumblr. Princessnanaxlaxus dot tumblr dot com**

 **Stay tuned for tomorrow, Day 3 - Dream**

 **As always, please follow, fav and review!**

 **Big Hugs,**

 **Princess Nana**


	4. Dream

**Welcome everyone to Day 3!**

 **This week is flying, at least for me. Maybe that is because I am rushing against a time clock to get the last two chapters done… so not easy LOL.**

 **This chapter is the infamous "Ball episode." As I've said before, this doesn't exactly follow the chapter/episode but is a twist on it. You've been warned hehe.**

 **But, on to the reading!**

* * *

 **Chapter 3 - Dream**

Heels clicking on the marble floor, Lucy's fingers tightened on the arm she was holding as they drew closer to the large door. Lack of sleep the last few nights, being busy all day. She told herself it was wearing her too thin. That was the reason for her sudden apprehension. It had nothing to do with the fact that she knew he would be there, or so she kept telling herself. She had not seen the Lightning Dragon Slayer all day, he and his team out working on another part of the city. She'd internally prayed that he would just up and head back to Magnolia, or slip off a cliff. But, with the entire guild and Makarov being there, she knew she would not be so lucky.

It both worried and bothered her to no end that she responded at all to his teasing. He was a serious threat to her already shaky mental state. He was the ultimate definitely of sexy, the epitome of every sexual fantasy she'd had and could ever have. But there was more than enough on her plate already to have to deal with him, knowing he had no serious intentions behind it. _Not that it would matter, he's scum._ She hated to think of any of her Nakama that way. But for her own peace of mind, she had to keep reminding herself of that little fact. He was Lucifer, that meant hell. A place she didn't relish returning to after the Dragons.

"I know I said it before, but you really do look amazing. So beautiful, a dream come true really."

Eve's voice next to her pulled her from the fiery chasms of eternal lava pits, and she offered him a small smile. To any lucky girl, he looked dashing in his navy high collared suit and seaman's cap. It fit his lean physique perfectly, displaying his long legs and swimmer's like torso the way it should. Unfortunately, she wasn't even remotely swayed to find him swoon worthy. Cute? Yes, but definitely not drop dead gorgeous. "Thank you," she replied demurely.

"Are you sure you're ok?" He questioned again.

He had asked her a couple of times on the way there, and each time she'd had an excuse at the ready. This time proved to be no different, but she knew those would eventually run out. "Absolutely," she smiled in her forced happiness. "It's just knowing everyone will be in there. Crowds sometimes make me nervous."

Eve pulled her to a stop just outside the door. "Hey," he said softly as a finger came up to hook under her chin. "If you don't want to go, we can always go do something else."

Lucy felt her lips quiver, her smile threatening to fall. Looking up at him, seeing his unveiled expression of care and concern for her, she felt the blades of guilt and remorse prick her heart. He would willingly ditch all of this, just to make her happy. She should be over the moon, it was exactly what every little girl wished for. She just wasn't a little girl anymore. Those days were long gone, stolen by too many adult choices. _Maybe… maybe it'll grow over time. Give it a chance Lucy. Push that asshole out of your head and give this guy a break._ "Absolutely not," she said with as much cheer as she could muster. "We'll go in and have a wonderful time with everyone."

"If you're sure," he smiled. He seemed to hesitate for a moment before pulling his hand away from her face. "But just know that whenever you'd like to leave, we can."

"Thank you, Eve."

He guided her into the ballroom, her eyes sweeping over the place in awe. It had been a good many years since she'd been in a place like this. She'd left the life of refinement behind, willingly, to live the life of a guild mage. It wasn't something she regretted, ever. But being there in that moment, wearing the dress she had on gave her a sense of nostalgia. It reminded her of times growing up. Playing dress up in her mother's clothes, going to parties just like this with her dad. _Mom and Dad… I miss you so much._ Sadness threatened at the edges, but she pushed it back down in the pit with everything else. She was there to have a good time. It was time to let go of the past, and become someone they would be proud of.

Letting her hand slide down his arm, Lucy wrapped her hand around Eve's and gave him a smile to indicate she was ok. They weaved their way through throngs of mages. Some she knew, or at the very least recognized. There were some she didn't recognize at all. Everyone was dressed in their finery, dresses and suits of all types and colors. From time to time, he'd pull her to a stop to greet someone he knew. With his impeccable manners, he never failed to introduce her. The pride in his voice when he addressed her as his _date_ did make her slightly uncomfortable, but she decided to allow him the concession. She thought that perhaps if she just gave in, it would grow on her like moss in the swamps.

"There you two are. Ichiya sent me to fetch you, Eve."

Turning, a wide smile pulled at her lips as she found herself face to face with Hibiki. She'd only caught brief glimpses of him at the games. He'd definitely grown since she'd last seen him, his face more mature. It occurred to her for the briefest of moments that she should perhaps feel awkward, given their past. But she just couldn't find it in her. They'd split with the promise of remaining friends, his infidelity had not exactly come as a surprise. They were both young, foolish and he'd been a rebound from the disaster of sleeping with Natsu. "Hibiki," she grinned. "How are you?"

True to form, he gave her a signature _Trimen's_ wink as he reached for her free hand and brought it to his lips. "Much better now that I've had the pleasure of gazing upon your radiant beauty," he grinned.

A squeal of laughter slipped past her lips when Eve promptly slapped at him. "Such a flirt!" the Snow mage grimaced as he waved his hand dismissively. "Go find your own date to schmooze."

"Eve, he's fine," She chuckled with a shake of her head. Somethings never changed. For that, she was thankful. It made her feel a little at ease in an otherwise cumbersome situation. She patted the hand that gripped hers and offered her companion a gentle smile. "Would you be so kind as to get me a drink?"

The Snow mage cast a wary glance at his coquettish guild mate before offering her an apologetic smile. "Absolutely, give me just a moment."

"He likes you," Hibiki offered the moment Eve was out of earshot.

 _I don't need another reminder._ Shifting uncomfortably, she gave a half-hearted chuckle as she nodded. "I've figured that out," she said before sighing. A change of topic was seriously needed. She really didn't want to discuss her like, or lack thereof, for the young man with her ex. Who just so happened to be one of said young man's best friends. "So… How was everything been? Eve tells me you guys were busy training for the games."

He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, a Cheshire-quality grin rising on his lips. "If that is what you can call all of the exercises Ichiya had us doing," he shrugged. "But you guys were amazing. Congratulations on the win, it's well deserved."

"I-I didn't really do much," she smiled sadly. _Except for get my ass kicked all over the place._ She had only proved all of the doubters right. She should never have been a part of the team, not when she knew that she could have cost them the win. "But, the others… They definitely went all out."

Hibiki's face softened, his grin fading into a gentle smile. "Nonsense, Lucy. I can't tell you how impressed I was that you pulled that spell off on your own," he said reassuringly. "If it weren't for the cheaters in Raven Tail, you would've kicked that girl's ass."

"Yeah," she sighed. "But, I didn't. I'll get better though. I'm on a mission."

"You've always been a girl on a mission," Eve cut in as he walked back up. "Here you are, I hope you're ok with Pinot Grigio. They were out of chardonnay."

Taking the glass he offered, Lucy gave a nod despite never having it before. She took a sip and struggled to not pinch her face. It wasn't exactly… nasty. The aftertaste was pleasant, it was just the first burst of bitter than ran over the tongue that was unpleasant. She liked whites because they were generally not dry, this one was certainly different. "Thank you," she smiled.

"Ichiya was wanting to see all of us for a moment," Hibiki said with a poke to Eve's side before he offered Lucy another smile. "I'm gonna borrow your date for a few, but Lucy… Just remember that you're strong in your own right. I heard about what you and Yukino did with the Eclipse gate, opening twelve celestial gates at once, twelve gold ones at that… It takes guts and a lot of magic power to pull that off. I checked the database, the odds were sorely against you."

She was so taken aback by his compliment, that she could only nod when Eve pressed a quick kiss to her cheek before disappearing into the crowd. He was the first one to point at her strengths, and she hadn't exactly thought about it that way. She'd only been able to see all of her failures before. Allowing herself to get kidnapped again, almost killed in a diabolical scheme to destroy the world, defeated twice in the games, watching herself die. The list just seemed so endless in her mind. It had blocked out the victories she'd had. _Maybe… If I train enough, I could be as strong as the rest of them are…_

With that thought planted firmly in her head, she turned and continued her way into the room. Her eyes scanned every group of people she came across, searching for her own guildmates. She spotted Mira, Lisanna and Elfman talking by the champagne fountain, the three of them seemingly happy in their animated conversation. Venturing further, she finally spotted Erza talking with the girls from Mermaid Heel. The Requip mage looked sublimely happy, with a gentle smile softening her features as she conversed with Kagura. She spotted Gray practically running across the room from a quickly advancing Juvia. She could only imagine the Water mage was seeking answers for why he had chosen Natsu over her.

Thinking of the pink-haired Slayer, she scanned the room and frowned when he seemed nowhere in sight. She thought it odd, given the spread of food that was everywhere in the room. Never in her life had she seen so much to eat in one place, it put the all you can eat buffets that Natsu so thoroughly enjoyed to shame. For him to not be anywhere around, it stood out like a sore thumb. A growl came from her stomach, and she grimaced at the realization she had not really eaten since that morning. With her nerves over tonight and the other _trouble_ in her life, her appetite had taken a serious nose dive. She made her way over to the nearest food table and scanned the selection offered. In her haste, she'd chosen a dessert table but it would just have to do. She reached for a small plate that had what looked to be an apple turnover, and the first bite proved her correct. A small hum of contentment slipped from her lips with the second bite, it was probably the best thing she'd ever tasted.

"Hello Lucy!"

She turned at the sound of her name, her eyes widening when she found herself face to face with royalty. _Great. I've probably got crumbs everywhere and now someone decides to talk to me._ Quickly setting down the plate, she swallowed the morsel and dabbed at her lips with a napkin. "Princess Hisui," she managed with a smile.

The green-haired woman smiled, her hand gesturing to the plate she'd just sat down. "I'm glad to see you're enjoying the food."

 _Thanks for pointing out that I look like a pig._ She gave a nervous chuckle and shrugged. "Probably a little too much to be honest." _Or not at all because it's the first thing I've had all night…_

"I meant to ask earlier," Hisui smiled demurely. "You're a part of the illustrious Heartfilia Family?"

Lucy's eyes widened that the Princess would have even heard of her family name, much less ask about it. She could only wonder what may have been said, knowing how the family business ended up. "I guess my father made quite a name for himself," she hesitantly responded.

A wide, heartwarming smile spread over the Princess' face as she clasped her hands together in front of her. "Not only that, but he was actually a personal friend of mine."

She felt her jaw go slack in shock, unsure whether to believe she'd heard right. Her father? Friends with the Royal Family? It seemed inconceivable, surely she would have heard about it before. _But then there was so much I missed after I left home…_ "I… I had no idea," she whispered dejectedly. It had been her own doing.

"Indeed," Hisui sighed before reaching for her hand. "Which makes me feel all the worse for causing you so much trouble."

Lucy smiled, her fingers giving the Princess' hand a squeeze. It was an apology that was really unnecessary, but she appreciated it all the same. "It's ok," she chuckled softly. "That's the life of a guild wizard after all. If we don't find trouble, it always finds us."

A wistful look came over Hisui's face, a look of admiration flashing in her emerald eyes. "By the way, I'm surprised that pink-haired boy from your guild isn't joining us tonight."

 _That pink-haired boy…_ The statement gave birth to a tick in her brow that she struggled to conceal. It only served to bring Laxus' words from the night before back to the forefront of her mind. Just the thought of him had her struggling for air. In attempts to conceal her sudden panic, she turned under the pretense of scanning the room for her closest and dearest friend. But it wasn't him that her eyes searched for. "N-now that you mention it," she grimaced as she spotted the tall blond standing across the room with his team. As usual, he had a throng of drooling women surrounding him. And as always, he was paying no attention whatsoever to any of them as he stood there with arms folded and a bored expression plastered on his face. "I haven't either…"

"A pity," Hisui smiled as she turned back. "I was hoping to thank him personally. But please, continue enjoying yourself."

Lucy forced a smile and bowed her head in appreciation, not daring to breath until the Princess had moved on. Black shoes came into her line of sight, and she stood to see a waiter passing by with a tray laden with filled glasses. She really did not give a single fuck in that moment as to what was in them. She simply reached out, plucked one off of the tray, and brought it to her lips. Her eyes strayed again to the spot she'd seen the Dragon Slayer just moments before. All of the moisture vacated her mouth as her honey browns met the turbulent seas of his stormy blues. A knowing grin pulled at one corner of his lips and he gave her a quick wink. Even from across the room she could feel his warmth against her. _Fuck. You. Lucifer!_ She forced herself to turn and downed the entire glass in one go. She needed something else to occupy her time until Eve returned.

Deciding the opposite side of the room would be the safest, she headed off and weaved her way through groups of people. She scanned every face for someone from her team, anyone else from the guild really. Fear of him following her pushed her forward as though the fires of hell were indeed nipping at her heels. Her physical reaction to just his name was ridiculous, seeing him had only cemented that she needed to keep as far away from him as possible. A sigh of frustration slipped from her lips when it seemed as though she would never find anyone in all of these people. Until she pushed through one group and saw Gajeel standing off to the side, alone.

She quickly made her way over, thanking the stars above for the much needed break. As she drew closer, she noticed his pierced brows pinched. His crimson eyes were deadlocked on something, and she followed his line of sight only to gasp when she found what it was. _Well, that's certainly unexpected._ Across the room, standing with the Princess was Cobra from the Oracion Seis. She immediately took note of the lack of cuffs and prison garb, all of it traded out for a fur lined white coat and black suit. Despite his past, she didn't exactly harbor any ill towards the Slayer. It hadn't exactly been him leading the charge either time, but she figured he'd rot in prison for the remainder of his days on Earthland.

"Rumor has it the goddamn Princess is letting him out because he helped with the dragons," Gajeel said gruffly as if to answer her unspoken thoughts. "And guess where he's going per that asshole, Lahar?"

Slowly, Lucy pulled her attention from the spectacle of the Poison Dragon Slayer to gape at the raven-haired Slayer beside her. "Fairy Tail?" She questioned hesitantly. Surely they wouldn't think to place him with them. Not after what he'd been a part of.

"The one and only," Gajeel grumbled.

Her head tilted as she studied the Iron Dragon Slayer. While his tone was as surely, maybe even more so, than usual, there was something else. At first, she couldn't put her finger on it. The bright crimson irises of his eyes deepened to a darker shade of blood red. His tongue swiped over his lips, a flash of metal glinting in the light as he did so. _No…_ She bit her lips to keep from laughing as her eyes traveled further south. She hummed as she leaned forward just a bit, her head nodding when her thoughts were confirmed. "I'm thinking you aren't exactly THAT pissed about it."

His eyes cut in her direction, his upper lip curling as he pulled his long coat closed. "Fuck you, Bunny."

"Can't," She smirked. "I forgot my strapon at home and your shit ain't getting anywhere near my ass." It was no secret to her that he was gay. She'd known that for years, having found out when he'd so ceremoniously rejected Levy's request for a date. He'd claimed homosexuality then, and as if she'd needed proof, she'd run into him several nights after when he'd stumbled out of the only gay club in town. With a very… Pretty guy on his arms. She could still recall, in vivid detail, watching the Iron Dragon Slayer press the small guy up against the side of the build as they kissed. It was his secret that she'd carried that had forged an unlikely friendship between her and the pierced man next to her.

"Ya know," he said as he turned to grin salaciously at her. "If I was into women, yer ass would be the first one on my list."

A peal of laughter escaped her lips, probably the first genuine thing that had happened all evening. It felt good, and she found herself reaching over to lay a hand on his arm. "I love you too, Gaj," she chuckled. "But, where's the Levster?"

He flashed her one of his rare, but handsome smiles before his face fell back to its normal state of perpetually pissed off. "Eh," he shrugged. "She's being a rebel. Decided to skip this for writing, I think Jet pissed her off again."

"That poor girl," she sighed. Those two were as hot and cold as Ren and Jenny. It was constantly on and off again, and usually for stupid reasons. They were so well suited for each other, yet could never seem to get on the same page. It was almost as bad as she and Natsu. "Well, I will leave you to your eye fuckfest," she grinned before turning for the door. "The powder room is calling my name."

"Don't fall in or get kidnapped," he called out to her as she walked away.

* * *

Laxus vaguely listened to the inane chatter going on around him as he watched his team of dorks argue over Natsu's possible whereabouts. He really could give zero shits as to where the guy was. The only benefit to him being there would be the never ending entertainment of watching the buffoon make an absolute ass of himself. It would be so much more livelier than listening to the women that hung on him talk about manicures and what line would be most fashionable this season. He'd always hated these stuffy, hoity-toity gatherings for this very reason. His fan group of psychopathic females would show up, beg him for his time, Freed would run them off and he just might get lucky enough to find someone worth taking home. Usually not though, the women that came to these things were rarely easy scores. Unless they happened to be unhappily married to absent husbands, he'd had more than a few of them.

But then he'd seen her across the room. He had watched Lucy talking to the Princess, about what he could not have cared less. His eyes had trailed over every single beautiful inch of her. He decided he liked her hair up. For the second night in a row, he'd been treated to the creamy span of her neck. His lips itched to latch onto the perfection that was the gentle slope where it connected to her delicate shoulders. He had to wonder if her dress was something she'd chosen with him in mind, but he couldn't help but admire the way her fur-edged neckline plunged down her chest to end low enough to give a peak at the soft tops of her breasts. It made him wonder what she'd look like with nothing but his coat on. The dress pinched her already small waist in even more, accentuating the flare of her hips. _Fuck, I wanna bend her over the damn table…_

When her eyes had found his, he couldn't help the grin that rose at the spark of fire he saw ignite. Instantly, her skin flushed and he knew. His words from the night before had her on the run, and he was just the beast to give chase. There were a lot of skirts he'd chased over the years. But even before having her, he knew she was going to be worth the catch. He watched her disappear into the crowd once more, his eyes roaming around the room to spot her date cavorting with his own guild mates. It only further proved his point that Eve was still very much a boy. A man, with a jewel like her on his arm, would never leave her unattended for long. A man knew there were wolves like him just waiting in the wings to snatch the prized sheep. _Stupid idiot._

Biding his time, Laxus pulled away from the women and made his way to the bar. He didn't exactly have a plan, he just knew he wanted to get under her skin. She was so close to caving that he could taste it. He'd have his prize, her notch in his bedpost, and then he could move on to other conquests. After ordering a double whiskey, straight, he turned to lean against the bar as he waited. His height giving him a distinct advantage in the room, being able to see things a little more clearly. He saw her face light up with a laugh as she talked with Gajeel, and his lips pursed. _Mavis, she's really fucking beautiful._ The thought set an uncomfortable warmth in his chest, and his hand came up to rub against his shirt as he turned back to the bar. He didn't like it, didn't want it because frankly it scared the crap out of him. He used every last bit of whiskey in the glass to wash it back down to the pits of hell it had crawled out of.

He set the glass back down and started to tap on the rim when he saw her slipping out the door. The bartender held the bottle up and he gave a quick shake of his head before he was off. Despite the number of people in his way, he made it across the ballroom with ease and slipped into the hallway in time to see her slipping into a door. He glanced around the hall before he quietly made his way down, a smirk pulling at his lips when he realized it was the restroom. The thought came to mind that he could so easily slip in, but he resisted the temptation. Someone else could be in there, it would only cause more of an uproar than he intended. Instead, he backed up to an alcove he'd passed on the way there to wait for her to come back.

As he waited, he realized just how risky this was. Anyone could come by at any time, catch him waiting there like the stalker he was apparently being. _But, that's part of the fun…_ A good ten minutes passed and he considered heading back to the ballroom when he heard the sound of a door opening. A grin spread when the smell that was uniquely her reached him. He let her get just past him before he reached out to pull her back into the alcove with him. The sound of air filling her lungs could only mean one thing. She was going to scream, and he knew exactly how he'd silence her.

Pushing her up against the wall, trapping her between it and the wall that was his body, his lips captured hers without any care. He felt her go stiff against him, her lips locked in a state of shock that he used to his advantage. His tongue swept over the slightly parted seam of her lips, groaning at the taste. It was better than he'd imagined, so much better. Where he imagined her to taste like heaven, indeed she did, but with all of the sin hell had to offer weaved in. The hands that had come up to push at his chest hesitated, her thin delicate fingers curling against him into the fabric of his coat. He wanted so badly to give in and lose himself in the sweet fruity wine flavor of her lips. But just as he felt her relax under him, he broke the kiss before giving her the chance to respond.

Her eyes fluttered open, an incoherent squeak came from her lips as she stared up at him in shock. The flush to her cheeks and lips only made him want her more. Brushing his nose against hers, staying close enough to feel her staccatoed breath against his skin. "Tell me, Blondie," he whispered huskily. "Did his lips make your blood boil the way that did?"

"Y-you…" She stammered breathlessly, her lashes fluttering in what could only be an attempt to comprehend. "Asshole. L-let me g-go."

A knowing grin spread over his face when her hands seemed to stay in place despite her words. She made no attempt to push him away, and he could smell the saccharine scent of her arousal. A soft chuckle slipped out before he lightly brushed his lips against hers, the sharp intake of breath she made sending chills down his spine. He knew playing with his food was a bad thing, but she just made it so much damn fun. "Not until you answer the question," he teased with a flick of his tongue against her lips.

Her eyes widened and her lips parted to respond but the only thing that came out was a soft whimper as he moved a hand to her waist. He pulled her against him, letting her feel exactly what she was doing to him. His head tilted and dipped so that he could bury his nose against her neck. The scent of her was so much more alluring straight from the source. "Just think of all the things I could do to you that he never will," he moaned softly as he trailed his lips against her flesh. _Mavis, I've never wanted anyone this bad._ He could feel his body aching to bury itself inside of her when her hands flattened out against his chest.

"L-Laxus… This…" Her breathy voice trailed off.

When he felt them slip down just an inch, it gave him reason to pause. He knew without a single doubt that if she touched him now, there would be no holding back. He'd take her right there, any passersby be damned. With a growl, he grabbed her hands and lifted them to pin her arms above her head. He saw fear and the hot flash of desire ignite in her eyes, and it pulled him in like a moth. His lips found hers once more, a guttural moan slipping into her mouth when she willingly allowed him entry. What was only supposed to be a tease fell to the wayside for the moment as his tongue wrapped around hers. He knew without a doubt that he could seriously lose every shred of sanity in her mouth.

She mewled against his lips as her body strained against him, her fingers curling around the hand that held her wrists captive. The way she responded, it was too damn easy and by far the sexiest thing he'd ever experienced. _And she's still fully fucking clothed._ His free hand slipped up her side to cup her breast through the fabric, the feel of a pebbled nipple against his palm making his arousal jump in his pants. His fingers curled around the edge of the fabric, only to pause when the sound of heels clicking against the marble floor brought him back to the here and now. He suddenly became all too aware of their very public location, the sound of voices echoing down the corridor cementing that reality.

He reluctantly broke the kiss and turned her against the corner to shield her in the shadows as the sounds drew closer. The breath he didn't realize he'd been holding rushed out when they passed without so much as a pause. Pulling back a little, he found her looking up at him with glazed eyes. "I'm going to take your answer as a no," he smirked as he reached up to trail his thumb over her kiss swollen bottom lip. "And I'd even venture to say he'd just leave you unsatisfied. So, when you're ready… You know where to find me." He saw a flash of recognition in her eyes as he pulled away, and he turned to leave but paused just long enough to look back. He needed to set the hook. "And did you count?" he grinned. "I got to at least twenty…"

* * *

 _He left me standing there… Just walked off and left after…_

Lucy stared at her reflection in the mirror, trying to wrap her head around what the hell had just happened. Her knees were still little more than jello, her lips still flushed and plump. They tingled from the feel of his lips on hers, the taste of him still swimming in her mouth. She'd never, in her entire life, been kissed like that. She'd kissed and been kissed, but it had never robbed her of breath or the ability to think. _My toes curled. My motherfucking toes curled! That… That doesn't happen except in the movies!_ His lips, his touch… It lingered everywhere he'd been, reminding her of just how easily she caved. Like a house of cards, she'd given into the sinful act without a single ounce of fight. _I'm… What the hell am I doing?_

His parting words came back to haunt her, giving rise to uncontrollable anger. She was so stupid. She'd just let him have his way like a common trollop, and what had she gotten from it? Nothing but his asinine comments. _Did I count… psh! He didn't seem to be counting either!_ She gave her hair one last check, knowing there was nothing to be done for the pink that stained her face and chest. She turned and hurried from the bathroom. She needed to just get out of there. The solace of her room, the hiding place under the covers on her bed called her name. There she could try to sort out just what the hell was wrong with her and fix it. Giving in to him was not an option.

She made it as far as the exit and stopped in her tracks, her shoulders slumping and a heavy sigh slipping from her lips. She'd come with Eve. He was probably in the ballroom looking for her. All while she'd been in the hallway kissing another man. She cringed at the knowledge that had he not pulled back, she'd have let him do what he wanted in her mindless state. That wasn't her, it wasn't what she did. Laxus was ten kinds of wrong, and he'd just proven that fact. Hell, he'd practically shouted it from the damn roof top. It wasn't Eve's fault and she couldn't very well leave him there without at least a goodbye.

Cautiously, she made her way back into the ballroom to search. She feared running into the asshole. She couldn't take his torment anymore, not when his voice still echoed in her ears. _I hate him. I hate him so much._ She lifted a hand to press to her burning cheeks while she continued to ignore the fact that her thighs slicked against one another as she moved. She was pretty sure that her white panties were now effectively see through. _Why does he affect me like this?_ She didn't know whether to cry or scream in her frustration. A hand wrapped around her arm and she turned, her free hand raising at the ready to strike.

"Lucy! There you a-"

Her eyes widened when she found Eve staring at her, confusion knitting his brow and concern swimming in his jade eyes. "I… I'm so sorry," She frowned in remorse as she lowered her curled fist. "I thought… I thought you might be someone else."

"What… What happened?" he gasped as he hesitantly moved in closer. "You're flushed. Are you ok?"

Lucy started to say she was fine but if she lied, then she'd be stuck there. Images of Laxus flashed in her mind, the feel of his lips and body against hers. "No…" She whispered. "No, I'm not. I need to..."

Eve lifted a finger to her chin, his thumb brushing affectionately over her cheek. "Say no more," he replied softly. "We can leave right now."

Her eyes lowered, her body shivering from his touch. But not for the reasons it should. The only emotion it seemed to invoke was longing for the sinful. For more of the Dragon Slayer's forbidden touch. It was as though she'd eaten from the tree of knowledge, and she could relate to the woman in the Garden of Eden. _I need to get rid of this… forget. Forget about him._ She could only nod before he slipped his hand in hers and lead her towards the door. It occurred to her for just a moment that they departed without a single word to anyone else. She followed mindlessly, letting him lead her out of the palace and down the steps to the carriage.

" _Just think of all the things I could do to you that he never will."_

She clamped her eyes shut at his words repeating themselves inside of her head. The carriage pulled forward and she felt Eve's fingers squeeze hers. She didn't want to think, not of that. If she did, then he'd be right. And he couldn't be. "Eve," she said softly as she dared to glance at the man beside her. "I'm so sorry…"

"Whatever for?"

Before she could think about what she was doing, she leaned up and pressed her lips to his. Tears welled in her eyes when it was just as before. There was no rush like there'd been with Laxus, no spark that set every cell in her body on fire.

" _Does his lips make your blood boil?"_

The question gave birth to desperation. He couldn't be right, he just couldn't. Lucy brought a hand up to Eve's cheek as she slanted her lips over his. The feeling of Laxus' tongue sweeping into her mouth slammed into the front of her brain, spurring her further. Going against the tiny voice screaming in the back of her mind to stop, she flicked her tongue against the seam of the Snow mage's lips. He granted her entry, his tongue eagerly greeting hers with a throaty moan as his arms wrapped around her. He tasted like cherries and vodka, but all she could think of was the whiskey and rain flavor that made her taste buds sing.

Eve's lips didn't make her blood boil, or even warm it to room temperature, but she refused to admit defeat. She slid her hand up into the messy locks of his hair, forcing herself to sigh against his lips when he pulled her closer against his body. There was no trembling in anticipation, no whimpers or mewls of delight. Her body had so naturally responded in the hallway to Laxus, everything he did had left her panting for more. Yet here in the privacy of the carriage, with the Snow mage, it was all forced. An act of desperation in her need to rid herself of the torment that was plaguing her mind, her senses.

" _I've yet to kiss a girl who didn't walk away dripping, and I'd bet my life that you were as dry as sandpaper when you walked in."_

She wanted so hopelessly to rid her head of his voice, of his teasing words, that she pushed herself forward. Breaking the kiss, she pulled back to shift on the seat. Moving to kneel, she lifted a leg to straddle his lap but his hand came up to stop her. She looked down at the fingers on her dress and blinked before looking up at him questioningly.

"Lucy," he whispered breathlessly. His eyes searched hers, making her uncomfortable. "Are… are you sure about this?"

Her lips parted to respond but stopped herself short. Was she sure? The immediate answer was no. The _old_ part of her was shouting out, telling her it was wrong. This was all wrong. He was a good person who didn't deserve this. But Laxus' voice still filled her head, his touch still warmed her skin. She needed it to stop, needed to be rid of his overwhelming presence. _And only someone good like Eve can do that…_ It felt as though part of her shut down completely as she resigned herself to this choice. Her fingers came to rest on his hand, lifting it up to press against her heaving chest. "Yes Eve," she whispered as her eyes dropped for fear that he'd see the truth there. "I… I n-need you… This…"

* * *

" _I'd even venture to say he'd just leave you unsatisfied..."_

Laxus had been right. As much as she hated to admit it, and it was the least of her worries at the moment, he had called it before it had ever happened. She'd allowed her anger and fear lead her into what had to be the biggest mistake of her life. For a solid hour now she'd been laying there agonizing over every single second of the last few days, in the dark room, listening to the even sound of Eve's breathing. She'd allowed him to touch her, to rut in between her thighs when she felt absolutely nothing. To compound that, she'd allowed her mind to drift off if only just to get through the entire ordeal. That had almost been as disastrous as sleeping with him was.

" _Oh god, Lucy," Eve moaned as he buried his face into the side of her neck. His lips trailed over her skin, his hand slipping beneath her hip to pull her up into his thrusts. "You feel so good."_

 _Closing her eyes, she pictured the God-like Dragon Slayer above her, envisioning it was him saying those words as he thrust into her over and over again. Her fingers curled into the sheets as her imagination began to sweep her away, recalling in vivid detail the way his lips felt against her skin. "La-"_

Her hand came up to clamp over her mouth as it had done then, hot tears spilling over onto her cheeks. She had reached a new all time low. She'd done the unthinkable and used a good, kind-hearted friend. All for the purpose of erasing Laxus from her mind, and it backfired. Big time. _What the hell have I done?_ Eve finishing well before her had to be punishment for her deeds.

Carefully lifting the arm that was draped over her, she slipped from the bed and began hurriedly dressing. She needed to get back to the HoneyBone and shower. It wouldn't erase what she had done, but she felt her sin clinging to her skin. It was staining her soul, corrupting every single value her mother had taught her. She needed to wash it away, crawl in bed and pray for morning to bring that this had all been a sick dream. She knew that wouldn't be the case, but she could hope for it none the less. Grabbing her shoes, she looked back at the bed.

" _I think I'm falling for you, Lucy."_

Lucy flinched at the words that had so easily slipped from Eve's lips before he'd drifted off to sleep. He was falling because she'd led him on, and all she felt for him was friendship. _Friends don't do what I've done…_ She considered just slipping from the room, but her conscience wouldn't allow her to do that to him. Walking over to the small writing desk, she grabbed the small pad of paper and pencil from the drawer. The inns were all the same. She stared at the paper, weighing what she should write. Putting the truth would be too cruel, but lying would be even worse.

 _Eve,_

 _My team would positively flip if they woke tomorrow and I wasn't there. I am surprised Erza hasn't broken down the door already. Or worse. I had a wonderful time. Thank you for being my escort for the night and for being a friend when I needed one._

 _Lucy_

She folded the paper just so, inscribing his name on the front just so that he knew it was for him. Quietly making her way back over to the bed, her chest tightened as she gazed down at his sleeping face. _He truly is still just a boy…_ The thought blurred her vision once again and she reached up to wipe at her face. He was a boy that she'd just used. Quickly setting the note down on the pillow next to him, she slipped from the room and made her escape with a heavy heart and even more burdened mind.

* * *

 **Laxus, you cad! And Lucy… Eve… Oh, the tangled web we weave. But… Plot points hehe. There you have chapter 3 and to think this story is really just getting started. It's in its infancy really LOL.**

 **But, stay tuned for tomorrow's chapter/prompt - Sparks**

 **As always, thank you so very much from the bottom of my heart for all the follows, favs and reviews. I was iffy on this story at first, just because of what is to come but you guys have reminded me that we are all a little twisted ;) You've given me the courage to post!**

 **Big hugs and much love!**

 **Princess Nana**


	5. Sparks

**Welcome everyone to Day 4 of LaLu week!**

 **It is great to see so many participating and enjoying the cracked love that is LaLu. I personally am blown away by the show of love for this story. I was so iffy on this one but you all have given me so much encouragement. Thank you from the very bottom of my heart!**

 **But! On to the reading!**

* * *

 **Chapter 4 - Sparks**

"Oww! Er- Sto-Oww!"

"Both of you are perverts! Sneaking in and treading on Lucy's honor like this!"

"We didn't me-Ow! Erz- Would you stop? We were try-Ow! Ok!"

The sound of yelling pulled Lucy from her sleep, a deep frown settling on her lips. She'd been plagued with nightmares from the moment she'd passed out, but had finally managed to find a deep, imageless sleep. That was now being stolen from her as well. Cracking her eyes, she groaned at the light streaming into the room. Her head pounded and her eyelids felt like sandpaper. She could practically feel the puffiness to her face. "What the hell is wrong with you people?" She moaned as she pulled her pillow over her face.

"Oh. You're awake," Erza replied. "I was running these two perverts from your bed. I woke to find them both practically draped over you like a blanket."

A gasp sounded in the room. "That's not fair, Erza!" Natsu bellowed. "We came in because I could hear her crying in her sleep from next door!"

"Exactly," Gray added. "Him getting out of bed woke me up and I followed him in here. She wouldn't wake up, but the minute Ash Breath laid down next to her she quieted down."

Lucy frowned into the pillow before sheepishly pulling it down to peak out. She remembered crying in her dreams. She'd cried over her dead body, but it had not been the future version of Rogue that had delivered the blow. It had been Eve, and she knew she had deserved it. But had she really cried it out loud? "I… I was crying in my sleep?"

"Yeah, Luce," Natsu whimpered. "You sounded so sad. Did Eve make you cry?"

Her eyes widened at the mention of the Snow mage's name, the bottom of her stomach dropping out to fill the rest of her with the dread that was boiling within it. _It's too early to deal. I can't answer for this right now._ She started to speak, her lips moving as her mind fumbled for the excuse. But it was the sound of a sword being drawn that stopped her.

"I will surely cut him down for hurting you, Lucy," Erza sneered. Her pajamas had suddenly been exchanged for her Fire Empress armor. "He cannot make you cry and be allowed to live!"

 _Fuck me royally, in my ass, with a rusty spiked dildo._ She threw back the covers, oblivious to the fact that she'd crawled into bed last night wearing nothing but her panties when she jumped up to get in the Requip mage's path. "No!" She shouted. "No, he… Eve was a perfect gentleman. He d-didn't hurt me. I swear…" _More like the other way around._

"Uh… Lucy?"

She spun to find Gray and Natsu both gaping at her as though she'd lost her mind. Or at the very least, had something plastered over her face. She reached up to touch her cheeks and frowned when she didn't feel anything out of place. "What?"

"I would recommend putting some clothes on before I am forced to gouge out their eyes."

Lucy glanced down and blinked at her lack of attire. Any other time in the past, she would have flipped a lid. An unholy screech would fly from her mouth as she ducked for cover, but now… "Erza," she sighed with a shake of her head as she casually crossed her arms over her ample chest. "They're gay and it's not like they haven't seen it before."

"W-well yes, b-but…" the Requip mage stammered, a deep blush rising on her own cheeks as she turned away. "It would be w-wise to not prance around like that in front of us… I mean them, all the same."

She reached up to scratch at her head, perplexed by the red-head's sudden bashful turn. It wasn't like this was the first time Erza had seen her naked. They'd bathed together, changed in front of one another. Hell, she could distinctly recall the woman groping her once or twice in a drunken slumber. She glanced over at the two men, who both gave a wide-eyed shrug. They seemed as lost as she felt. "Ok then," she muttered as she walked over and pulled a t-shirt and pair of loose shorts from her already packed bag. She'd have to thank Virgo for doing it while she was gone the night before.

"So… Uh, Luce?"

She pulled the shirt over her head and pulled her hair out of the collar before glancing over at the pink-haired Slayer. "Yeah?"

His brow creased over his nose as he stared at her for a few moments before finally speaking. "If Eve didn't hurt you, why were ya crying in your sleep and…" He paused as though he were considering his words. "Well, yeah. Have a bad dream?"

"You could say that," she said as she slipped on her shorts. "Just rehashing the whole Dragon thing, no biggie."

She caught the look of doubt that crossed Natsu's face, but it was the faraway look that came into Gray's eyes that stumped her. He looked haunted, with shadows that fell over his deep blue orbs. He was the only one who had yet to even speak of what all had happened during that whole ordeal. _What happened out there to put that look in your eyes?_ She wanted to ask but a knocking at the door put an end to it, and she made a mental note to do so later when they were alone. He was generally contemplative like she was, but she knew that look. It was the same one she'd seen in the mirror countless times over the last few days.

"I have a few deliveries here for Miss Lucy Heartfilia."

"Luce, You've got… holy crap!"

Lucy looked up at the door and her jaw dropped. Three men came in, their arms laden with bouquets of flowers. There was a fourth who brought in three boxes of what looked to be chocolates, and a note which he held out for her to accept. Looking at the vases set down on every available surface, she felt her stomach twist. There were roses of every color, lilies in shades of pink and yellow. There were even a few daisies she spotted in amongst all the fluff. _This… This is too much._ She didn't have to look at the card in her hand to know where they came from.

"How romantic," Erza cooed as she dipped her face to sniff at one of the many arrangements. "Oh! And look, one even has a sign that says I lo…" The red-head's words stopped short as she dug into the bouquet of red roses to pull the sign out. "Lucy! Are these from Eve? He l-loves you?"

" _I think I'm falling for you, Lucy."_

Her eyes shut as a heavy breath of air rushed from her lungs. She'd thought that they were foolish words whispered on the verge of sleep. In the light of day, it was even uglier than it had been in the dark of night. Images of the entire evening flashed in her head, each one hammering the nail in that she'd done this. She'd brought this on herself, but how was she to know he was falling in love with her? As if she needed to add more hurt added to the painful blow that decorated her room, she lifted the card and slipped a finger inside to open it.

 _My dearest Lucy,_

 _These flowers, while the most beautiful of their kind, cannot rival your beauty or radiance. Your smile holds the light of every star in the night sky and your voice is the sunlight in my day._

 _You have stolen my heart and I hope that in time, I can steal yours in return. I am saddened that we must part for now. As the illustrious Shakespeare once wrote 'Parting is such sweet sorrow that I'll say good night until tonight becomes tomorrow.' Please travel safe, know that my love goes with you and I shall be in touch when you return to Magnolia._

 _Yours eternally,_

 _Eve_

Lucy stared down at the card in her hand, knowing she should feel something other than the need to retch. As it had been the night before, every sappy ass word inscribed in beautiful handwriting only sent her head running. And to the last place it needed to be. Blinking, she looked up to find her team staring at her with expectant faces. There were no words she could offer, no excuses, no lies. She let the card slip from her fingers before she made for the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind her.

"Lucy? Are you ok?"

She ignored the Requip mage's questions as she lifted the lid to the toilet. The sounds of whispers filtered through the door, but she shut them out as the first wave hit her. Her fingers gripped the cool porcelain edges as her stomach emptied what little was in it. _I used that poor kid…_ Like everything else, she wanted to shut it out. She didn't want to feel the guilt that sliced at her heart, the pangs of regret that weighed her down until she couldn't move. The walls felt like they were closing in around her, ready to crush her at any moment.

Giving the toilet a flush, she quickly brushed her teeth and pulled her hair into a messy bun. She didn't care that she looked like an utter slob. She needed air, open space. Opening the door, she ignored the concerned expressions that adorned her friends faces. "When do we leave?"

"I- We, um," Erza stammered. "Noon. W-we leave at noon."

Lucy glanced at the clock and pursed her lips. _Two hours._ "Good," she nodded before heading for the door. "I'll be back before then. Can you have the front desk arrange donating all this...stuff?"

"Luce," Natsu started before Gray cut him off.

"Whaddya mean donate this stuff? Where are you going?"

Erza sighed. "Lucy, we're your friends. We're here to help."

Lucy paused as her fingers wrapped around the knob. She knew they meant well and only wanted to help. She loved them all the more for it, but she needed some space and time to think. She needed to get away from the floral scent that clung to her like a scared chick in a haunted house, reminding her of the horror of her decisions. She looked back and gave them an apologetic smile. "I saw something in a store window on my way home last night," she lied. "I want to go get it before we leave."

* * *

Laxus threw his sleep pants into the bag and turned, giving the room another good once over before he zipped it shut. He was ready to be home, in the comfort of his own bed. The one he had there was ok enough for a couple of nights sleep. But between the exertion of the games and everything afterwards, it just wasn't cutting the grade. _And neither is the fucking sex…_ He'd been so sure Lucy would come to him, but she'd disappeared after their little tryst in the hallway and hadn't been seen since.

At first, he'd thought that just maybe he'd pushed her too far. It had bothered him to think that perhaps he'd actually scared the shit out of her. So much so that he'd gone looking for her, only to find the Snow mage missing as well. That had set him right the hell off. Without so much as a _fuck you_ to his team, he'd left and stormed off to find something or someone to ease the raging fucking hard on teasing her had left him with. That had been an absolute bust, the only women out in the bars were those he wouldn't touch with his father's dick and that was saying a lot. He was religious with safety, getting tested every six months. He wasn't about to go breaking that just because the woman he wanted to fuck was busy fucking someone else.

 _What the hell is wrong with me?_

It was the question he'd been asking himself all night. Well, except for a span of thirty minutes or so when he'd allowed himself to indulge in his thoughts of her. He hadn't been able to help himself. Laying there in his bed, his head filled with images of her against that wall. Her skin flushed, the taste of her lips, the feel of her straining against him. Just thinking about it now had him hard, wanting more and pissed off for it. His stomach grumbled and he let out a frustrated sigh. "Might as well go grab a bite before we get on the road," he mumbled before turning for the door. He'd come back for his stuff before checkout.

Lucy glanced down at the scrap of paper in her hands before checking the number on the door. Again. She'd been standing there for a good ten minutes, doing the same thing over and over. She'd been so pissed, so sure of herself when she'd left the room. The front desk had been all too willing to give her his room number, taking the liberty of writing it down in case she forgot it on the way up. She'd made up her mind. She was going to tell the Dragon Slayer all about himself, let him know just what kind of jackass he was. He was the reason she was in this boat. He had thought he could just play with her like he did every other woman he came across. _Well not this bitch. He can go fuck off into a damn wyvern den for all I care._ She squared her shoulders and lifted her fist to knock, her eyes widening when the door suddenly opened.

 _Well that's a little unexpected._ Laxus blinked at the Blonde standing on the other side of his door, her fist raised. "Punch first and ask questions later?" He smirked.

"I should," she mumbled. Her fist lowered and she glanced around the empty hallway. Every ounce of _kick ass_ that had carried her up there fled, leaving nothing but nervous apprehension in its place. _This is such a bad fucking id- NO! You will tell him about himself and then carry your ass home. He needs to know he can't fuck with you like that!_ Her lips thinned as she gave a huff. "Do you… Do you have a sec?"

His eyes narrowed, trying to figure out just what the hell she wanted. Despite the fresh layer of soap and shampoo, she reeked of ice cream and candy. He felt an inexplicable rage flare but then he locked onto another scent that stopped him. _Salt. She… She's been crying._ A volley of reasons popped into his head, unwarranted, a few of them making him sick to his stomach. "Sure," he frowned as he stepped to the side to allow her entry.

Lucy hesitated when she saw the way his brows drew down, a glimmer of something she wasn't prepared for dashing across the deep stormy blue of his eyes. _Concern?_ She just couldn't figure out why he'd be concerned about her. It wasn't like he'd shown an ounce before. "Thanks," she whispered before forcing herself forward. She heard the door close behind her, the sound making her stomach roll in sudden fear. _I really should not be here right now..._ The room smelled of him, making her nostrils flare but she pressed the spark of want down.

Laxus leaned against the door as he studied the way her back remained rigid, her breathing quickened in what smelled like apprehension. _Or fear._ She'd told him the other night that he didn't scare her, and she hadn't shied away from him since. He'd seen her do a lot of running, but she'd carried the scent of her arousal with her when she did. His mind created a checklist, feeding into the numerous reasons that had come to mind with the scent of her tears. _I fucking swear… I'll kill his ass._ "Did he hurt…" He paused, unsure of how to even pose the damn question. "Did he fucking hurt you?"

She spun around at the question, her face wrinkling in confusion. "What?"

"That little diaper-wearing, shit ass kid," he growled. "Did he… ya know… hurt you?"

The anger in his voice made her flinch. It was sudden and not like him. He'd been playing dirty but never angry. She stared at him for a moment, allowing his question to sink in. It didn't make sense. Perhaps it was the fog her mind was encased in or…' _You sounded so sad. Did Eve make you cry?'_ She sighed as Natsu's voice ran through her head. Slayer senses meant he could probably smell her tears just as the pink-haired Slayer had. "No, no he didn't."

"Lucy. If he did, you can fu-"

"He didn't!"

The Slayer blinked when she yelled, cutting him off. Her voice held enough conviction to make him believe, but it only served to drive his anger. "Then why the fuck are you here?" He roared before flashing forward to close the distance between them. "His sickeningly sweet scent is all the fuck over your ass. So what? You came to fucking gloat?"

Lucy stumbled back, alarm bells ringing in her head at the close proximity as he towered over her. It wasn't him yelling that scared the crap out of her, it was the flashes from the night before that did. "No!" She shouted back anxiously. "I came here… I came…" _Why am I here again?_ She hated the fact that her mind seized every time he came near her. "To tell you that… To tell you…"

"To tell me what, Blondie?" Laxus questioned as he kept advancing until he knew she was caught with nowhere else to run. "You come to my room, covered in another man's stench. Was I right? Or did he rock the fucking world under your feet?"

She swallowed hard, her body shrinking against the dresser that dug into her back. The sandalwood soap and rain scent of him drowned her to the point of not being able the breath. His warmth threatening to suck her down into the pits of hell where she knew she belonged. _And he's the only one who can do this…_ The thought brought tears to her eyes, defeat leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. "You were right," she whispered as her head dropped. "You're an asshole, the biggest jackass I know but you were fucking right."

He stared down at her, held motionless by _whatever_ it was gripped his chest like a vice. Victory was his, he should be pleased with himself. He hated to lose and should be rubbing that shit in her face, but he couldn't. It didn't taste as sweet as he thought it would, it tasted too… _Too much like her fucking tears._ "Blondie, I-"

"Don't say it," she gritted out to cut him off. She could already hear him in her head, and this wasn't the way it was supposed to be. "Don't you dare fucking say I told you so."

"I wasn't go-" he started only to be cut off when a fist weakly thumped against his chest.

Well past caring anymore, she slapped at him again with her other hand. "Yes you were! You're a bully and it's what you fucking do!"

Every syllable that left her mouth brought another hit. And for reasons he didn't understand, he let her have the first couple. She was right, he was a bully. It was what he'd been doing this entire time, so he deserved her anger. But every slap grew in intensity, a little more sting coming behind them and he reached a breaking point. Capturing her wrists, he bent and pinned them both behind her back as his weight trapped her against the furniture when she continued to struggle against him. "I wasn't going to fucking tell you _I told you so,_ " he growled down at her. "Don't put words in my mouth."

She growled against the tears that threatened to choke her, incensed at herself for breaking in front of him. Twisting, pulling against the hand that held her wrists firmly in place did nothing but bring more of him in contact with her. And that only made her predicament worse. It was the one place she didn't want to be, yet the unsatisfied part of her yearned to be even closer. "I hate you," she spit up at him. "This is all your fault, all your doing. You walk around, making people want you. You tease them to the point they can't fucking see straight, and then send them on their miserable damn way. You're a goddamn jackassed, monkey-fucking behemoth penis wrinkle who gets his rocks off by playing your little games with people. I hate you so damn much! I hate the way you walk, the way you talk, but most of all I fucking hate what you do t-"

He'd listened to the increasing volume of her voice long enough. Every word dug into him like barbes, cutting him deeper than any blade ever could. And he didn't understand why. Women told him all the time they hated him, all because he never broke his own carnal rule of never fucking the same woman twice. But even said in anger, he despised hearing her say it. He didn't want to hear that she hated him, didn't want to hear that he'd driven her into that fucking kid's bed. His actions predicated thought when his head dipped, his lips crashed down against hers to silence her. Everything stilled, an eerie calm falling over the room. Her mumbled words ceased and her body rendered stationary against him. But as fast as it came, it ended in the blink of an eye.

All of the rage, the fury, the ceaseless hours of frustrated restraint that she'd worked so hard to contain, the titanium lock that she thought she'd placed them behind gave way with just one simple sound. He groaned against her lips and before she could regret, her lips presses back against his in equal vigor. It was instantaneous. Where she'd only felt the weight of death and bottomless hours of regret, she felt life sweeping in around her. Or something akin to it, fire met gasoline.

Gentle went out the window as unbridled lust swept in to consume them both, leading them further down a path that neither was entire sure they were prepared for. He released her hands only to roam, hers mimicking him in fervent fashion. He pulled at her shirt and her small hands slid beneath his own to push it. Her touch felt good, too good. It stole his breath, every fingertip of hers like matches against his skin. She was burning him alive, and still he wanted more. He needed her to fully ignite, to consume him in a way that made no sense to him. "I need this off," he growled against her lips when their shirts came to the impasse of their bodies connected.

Lucy pulled her own shirt over her head, tossing it carelessly to the side and reached for him once more only pause at the sheer perfection that was his body. She'd seen him shirtless before, had admired his male beauty from afar. But this… This was different. _That… That is fucking man._ She knew that she was free to explore, to lose herself in every single inch of him. Her eyes carefully charted every single ripple that climbed his stomach, the black fairy tail symbol, his marble carved chest, the swirled tattoo that adorned his pec and shoulder. Her mouth watered at the prospect of tracing every single inch only to run dry as she reached the fathomless blue depths of his eyes. Pure predatory lust heated her flesh despite the separation of their bodies.

Every second her eyes adored him felt like an eternity, the weight suffocating him. But seeing her shirtless, standing there proud before him, it was a death worth it. Her shorts sat low on her hips, drawing attention to the way they flared perfectly from a tiny waist. His mouth watered and begged to traverse the flat plain of her stomach and up over the most perfect breasts he'd ever had the pleasure of seeing. His imagination was sorely lacking, doing her and the dusty rose peaks no amount of justice. A small voice at the back of his head screamed that she was danger but he burned it asunder as he gave into his need for more of her. Diving back in, his hands dropped to cup under the perfect curve of her ass as his mouth met hers.

As if they'd done this a million times, her arms found their way over his broad shoulders and into the thick locks of his hair. Her feet left the floor only to be lowered to sit on the cold, hard surface of the dresser's top. For a split second, her mind registered the difference between the _here_ and what had been the night before. There was no comparison, this was more compelling. More compulsive. More obsessive. Wholly overwhelming. His tongue dueled hers with more force, the pressure of his lips more feverish. Gentle yet firm and hard, wild yet completely controlled as he drank from her. She surrendered all to the living flame of his touch as his hips lodged way too perfectly between her spread thighs. Her body begged for the torturous burn as his hands slid over her skin to cup her breasts, his long fingers kneading and thrumming over her nipples.

Her mouth, lips...kissing her was oxygen while her body was the backdraft. Laxus' lungs burned from the smoke that was every shudder of her body against him as his fingers pinched and pulled at the pebbled tips of her breasts. But she breathed life back into him with every moan and mewl of pleasure that vibrated against his tongue. Her legs hooked around him, pulling him further into her clutches and he could feel the heat emanating from her core through the layers of fabric separating them. It made him greedy for more. His lips left hers to descend over the curve of her chin, a hand following suit as it traveled from the fullness of her breasts down the smooth surface of her stomach. He took delight in the way her moans of pleasure hitched and her belly quivered under his fingertips.

All it took was a brush of his fingers over her covered core to make Lucy's head fall back, a throaty moan escaping her lips. _Was that really me?_ She'd never heard that sound come from lips. It sounded needy, thick with all of the lust she felt churning in her stomach for the Dragon Slayer. As though he knew the struggle, his fingers pressed against her core. The sound erupted from her lips again as her hips undulated to press harder against his touch. A deep chuckle vibrated against her ear, letting her know that he'd heard and it did indeed come from her. Even in laughter, his voice in her ear set her on edge, teetering between wanting more and fear of it sending her over the side into madness. Her fingers fell to his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin to reward her auditory senses with a deep growl.

Pain wasn't something he expected, but at her hands, he found himself enslaved to the desire for more. Her sharp claws, the unmistakeable confectionary tainted scent that still lingered on her skin, the sounds that tumbled from her lips and the heat that radiated from the heavens between her thick thighs… It spoke to something deeper, an animalistic, predatory nature locked in the bowels of his mind that was hell bent on possessing the blonde witch of a woman.

"I hate ice cream," he growled against her ear as his fingers dug into the damp fabric that barred him access to her most intimate parts. "I hate that you fucking reek of it."

Somewhere, in the dark depths of her conscience, Lucy knew she should feel shame at his words. But everything about him set her moral compass aspin. There was no right, no wrong. It was just him, her and the humming that grew louder and louder with every pass of his fingers. She felt like she was on the precipice of combustion and she'd yet to feel his touch against her. "E-erase it, Laxus," she cried out as his fingers pinched at her through the thin fabric of her shorts and barely there panties.

The sound of his name on her lips was like a drug, an instant addiction that Laxus needed to indulge in over and over again. The hand he'd placed on her lower back slid up the length of her spine, pressing her ample chest to his. He could feel her erratic heart pounding beneath her flesh as his fingers buried into her hair. "I'm gonna do more than that, Blondie," he grinned saliciously as he wrenched her head back. The glossy haze over her coffee colored eyes and flush on her cheeks was more intoxicating than it had been the night before. "But, we're doing it my way."

A quiver of fear and anticipation speared through her core, her body clenching with need at his words. She could only hold onto him as his touch became more insistent, his fingers moving with more fervor against her. Her nails raked against his back as her toes started to curl, a loud roar building in her head that was completely unexpected. "Oh, f-fuc-" Her pleasure filled cry was crushed, swallowed by his demanding mouth as it captured hers.

Unable to look away, his eyes stayed open as he greedily drank every sound that crawled up from her throat. The need to seize and dominate all of her was irrepressible. He watched her eyes roll back just before her lids veiled the spellbinding windows to her soul. Her body went rigid against him, her legs locking around his waist to trap his hand between them. A knowing grin crept onto his features as he bit down on her plump, fleshy bottom lip to send her over the edge he'd placed her on.

The force of her orgasm knocked the wind from her lungs in the form of his name cried to the heavens above. It was a plea, but for what she wasn't certain. Never before had someone sent her to those heights, much less sent her there still half clothed. She was pretty sure that the stars were within reach without opening a single celestial gate. Her mind tried to reason, the gears turning over and over without a single connection made as earth shattering tremors rocked her to the core and back again.

The scent of her arousal filled the air around him, setting him in motion. Letting go of her hair, Laxus unwound himself from her clutches to pull back. An egotistical smirk pulled at his lips when her body slumped back against the wall for support. She looked absolutely spent, beautiful sated with a dreamy smile perched on the bow of her kiss swollen mouth. _Oh Blondie, we're just getting started._ His fingers went to the waistband of her shorts, a brow quirking at the defined darkening of the apex of the material. Her hands reached for him and he allowed her to pull him in, her lips seeking his. "Tell me Blondie," he growled against her lips as his fingers worked the material over the swell of her ass. "Was he able to make you cry out like that?"

Lucy shivered as the cool air in the room hit the moist flesh at the juncture between her legs, as shocked gasp slipping from her lips at the suddenness of it. His words registered as her mind started to come back down, but she pushed them away in her need for more of the Slayer. "J-just… F-fuck me already," she growled.

Oh he so wanted to do just that. His body ached to bury itself inside of her, to claim all of her for himself. Perhaps it was his ego, or something else he had yet to fully explore, but he knew he couldn't. Not yet anyway, he needed her begging. "You're so fucking wet," he moaned as he stepped back between her legs and his fingers found the slick, plump skin that guarded her opening. His lips ghosted over hers, the taste of her gasp sending sparks of electricity down the length of his spine when he strummed over her clit. "You're practically fucking dripping, Lucy. So tell me, was he able to do that?"

"Laxus!" She cried out when his fingers slipped down to enter her abruptly. She could feel the clenching of her core all the way into her belly, the sensation making her toes and fingertips tingle. His words would normally set off her rage, but instead they only seemed to add to the insanity he'd awoken in her. Her hips undulated under the scissoring of his fingers inside of her, a hunger for him the likes she'd never known flaring to life in the pit of her belly. She knew there was no comparison. The night before she'd had to use images of him to get herself just slick enough to somewhat enjoy. And even then, her imagination had not even begun to prepare her for this. For the reality of him. "P-please…"

 _Sweet fucking Mavis, she's so damn tight._ His cock twitched in his pants, jealous and past ready to feel the same heaven that was her body. Not yet… His head dipped to capture the dusty peak of her breasts, his tongue flicking over her nipple in time to his fingers pumping inside of her. The way her body clung and suckled at him for more, it stroked the possessive, egotistical demon inside. "Did you even let him fuck you?" He growled against her flesh. "Or were you saving it just for me?"

Lucy's back arched, a cry slipping from her lips as his teeth captured her nipple and bit down almost painfully. The ache of it shot straight down her body to settle between her legs, joining the building tension his fingers were wreaking upon her. "D-do you r-really want to know?" She panted, already knowing the answer. "Sh-shut up and… Oh god, fuck me already!"

"Is that what you really want?" Laxus grinned before capturing the other nipple, his teeth pinching and pulling her nipple before letting go. She was right, he didn't want to know. Not really. The thought of that stupid little fucking kid rutting against the perfection that was her body seemed blasphemous. "Are you ready to see what a _man_ can do?"

She cried out as he squeezed a third finger inside of her, stars bursting behind her eyes. _Holy… holy fucking hell!_ It hurt, never being stretched that much. But it felt so damn good at the same time, the pain melding into pleasure. It was wholly a new experience for her, her body trembling uncontrollably from the intensity of the two. "Yes, Laxus. Fuck! Yes!"

Keeping his fingers still, he slid his thumb over her clit in time to his tongue flicking over her nipple. _She's all mine._ The thought stilled him for the briefest of moments before he pushed it away. She was his for the moment, nothing more. "Say it, Lucy," he growled as he pulled his head up to gaze down at her. "I want to hear you say exactly what it is you want."

"I-I want...I want you to, fuck...god!" Her mind stumbled over her words as his fingers curled inside of her, hitting a place she didn't even know exist. Her whole body jerked, vibrating dangerously close the edge of bliss yet again. "Laxus p-please!"

"Not till you say it. I want to hear you admit you want me as bad as I want you."

"I-I want you to fuck me, Laxus. Sh-show me what a man's like."

He smirked in triumph and pressed against her g-spot again, his fingers hitting it with every thrust. He marveled at just how fucking beautiful she was, her body writhing against him. He wanted to claim her just then, but held off as he felt her start to flutter around his digits. He needed to watch her fall apart for him one last time before he truly lost himself in her. Leaning over her, his forehead found hers as her fingers found his hair. "Cum again for me, Baby," he whispered huskily. "Cum for me and I'll give you everything you want."

She wasn't sure if it was the sound of his voice, the fingers that were buried inside of her or the intensity of his eyes in that moment. Before she knew what was happening, her body responded. Like a bomb was set off in the pit of her stomach, she felt like she exploded from the inside out. Lights of every color blinded her vision, and his name exploded from her lips as though he could save her.

Unable to wait for her to come down, Laxus pulled his fingers from inside of her spasming core to push at his own pants. Watching her, feeling her, hearing the sounds she made pushed him to the brink of his own sanity and straight over the edge. He needed her like he needed air, needed to be inside of her more than he needed life. Letting his pants and boxers fall down his legs, he wasted no time in wrapping his fingers around his aching length and brought the tip to her still contracting opening. He couldn't find the willpower to restrain himself, his hips surged forward and he buried himself inside of her in one thrust.

The scream that clawed its way up Lucy's throat was drowned as his lips captured hers once more, his tongue invading her the way his arousal had. Unexpectedly. Swift and without mercy. Her body, over sensitive and still suspended in the heavens from her orgasm, struggled with sensory overload as he stretched her in ways she didn't think possible. His fingers dug into her ass, pulling her to meet his every thrust and she was helpless to do anything else other than cling to him.

"God, you feel so fucking good," Laxus groaned against her lips. Everything about her felt too good, too warm, too inviting and there was no way he could pull back. Her tight walls fit around him like a glove, her arms and legs wrapped around him. It was all sucking him in deeper into an endless abyss. A little voice in the back of his head screamed that he should be afraid, but he turned away from it. This wasn't just sex, it was heaven on earth and he craved more of it.

She could say the same damn thing, his words stolen from the tip of her tongue. But her lips failed to form words, the only sound slipping out was a throaty moan. She was far from innocent, having been with a few men in her time. There'd only been one she'd considered remarkable and even he couldn't hold a candle. This was consuming her in ways she'd never imagined possible. It was as if he was everywhere and anywhere, touching places inside and out, uncovering all of her secrets in the blink of an eye.

A telltale pressure began to build in the pit of his stomach, a mind numbing tingle spreading outward from the base of his spine. He knew the end was nearing, yet he wasn't ready to let go just yet. Just as he felt her walls beginning to flutter and the pitch of her moans and mewls of pleasure started to heighten, he broke the kiss and withdrew from hot, wet core of her body. The shocked pout that appeared on her face only gave birth to a smirk as he pulled her from the dresser's top to stand.

Confused, Lucy followed along as he pulled her towards the bed. A thread of fear wove around her brain, dreading the possibility that he intended to stop things where they were. But he put that all to rest when he pulled her in front of him at the edge of the bed. Turning her back to him, his fingers danced down her sides to rest on her hips as his lips ghosted over the top of her shoulder.

A grin tugged at his lips when her small frame shuddered against him, her hips pressing back against his leaking shaft. "Kneel for me," he whispered against her ear. "I wanna see this beautiful ass of yours in the air."

His voice threatened to buckle her knees, and she bit at her lip to keep her voice at bay. She knew that as close as she was, he could easily send her over the edge just by talking. Lifting a knee, she moved to do as instructed. With her knees on the edge, he pushed her back down until her cheek was resting against the smooth fabric of the comforter. Part of her knew she should feel exposed, degraded in the fashion of which she was on display. But she wasn't. If anything, she could feel herself trembling in anticipation. She could feel the coil inside of her winding tight as she felt the evidence of her arousal drip down the insides of her thighs.

"Fuck me, she's beautiful," Laxus thought aloud as he took all of her in. Her fingers clutching at the bedcover, the perfect curve of her back, two of the most flawless ass cheeks he'd ever set his sights on raised proudly in the air. A groan rumbled in his chest as his tongue swept across his lips. The sunlight streaming in through the window caught on the moisture seeping from her weeping core, making it glisten like sugar on her skin. Unable to resist, his hand smoothed over the full flare of her hips and she rewarded him with the sexiest guttural moan he'd ever heard.

Lucy's mind stuttered a moment, his words hitting her. _He… He thinks I'm beautiful?_ It was seemingly out of character, not exactly the words she expected to spill from his lips. She definitely didn't expect for him to mean it, but there was no denying that he didn't realize he'd said it. But he didn't give her much time to completely process. Her eyes rolled when she felt the length of him slip against her, teasing her to the point of driving her insane. "Fuck me, Laxus," she growled as she pressed back against him. "Stop baiting me, you've already set the hook."

For a split second, his brain tripped on the demand in her voice. He'd never been one for bossy women but holy hell if he didn't find it sexy as hell coming from her. It spoke to something buried deep inside, making his inner beast roar. Gripping her hip in one hand, he brought the flared, throbbing tip of his erection to her opening. "Is this what you want?" he teased as he pressed it against her only to pull back when she pushed against him.

"Yes, goddamn it," she whimpered.

Pulling from the last shreds of his willpower, he slid just the tip inside and held her there. "Are you sure?" he groaned when her core tightened around him, threatening to draw him in deeper. "I've got my doubts…"

"Yes, Laxus!" She screamed as she tried in vain to push herself back onto to him. Her entire body trembled with desire, craving him and him alone. "Give it to me... Fuck me until I can't fucking see straight and I can't walk. I don't care! I just need your cock inside of me!"

That snapped what was left of his restraint. "Goddamn it, Lucy," he growled before his hips snapped forward, burying his entire length inside of her in one go. The tight confines of her body only seemed to be tighter, gripping him like a vice and he never wanted to be set free. He pulled back until just the tip remained and slammed into her again with a possessive grunt, his fingers digging deep into her flesh.

"Oh fuck," she moaned. "J-just like that!" Pleasure and pain. Pain and pleasure. It all blended together for her, becoming an intoxicating mural of colors behind her eyelids. She'd only thought he was deep before, but now she was sure he was reaching places no one else ever had or ever would touch again. The pressure in her belly bordered on uncomfortable but she couldn't turn away from him to save her own soul. The devil owned her, she'd willingly sold her soul as she pressed back to meet each violent thrust.

The sight of her writhing beneath him, her ass shaking every time their hips connected, the sound of her crying out every time he bottomed inside of her was propelling him towards his end. The buzzing that began in the base of his spine started to spread out until his could feel it everywhere. His nerves felt like they are on the verge of exploding and he could feel himself beginning to lose control. Lightning sparked over his skin, arcing out from his body as the air around him charged so thick he could taste it. "Oh f-fuck, Lucy!" He roared as the world around him started to spiral.

Lucy cried out as the first shock to her body lit up her nerve endings like the sky at midnight on New Year's. It snapped the coil inside of her, his name tumbling from her lips as a matra. She felt him swell inside of her just moments before the first eruption pulled her over the edge with him into the abyss of perpetual bliss.

* * *

Lucy stared up at the ceiling, her thoughts set adrift as the pace of her heart slowly returned to normal. Her skin still tingled, the cool air blowing from the vent above her chilling her sweat slicked flesh. She'd never had her world so thoroughly rocked as it had just been. Just the thought of it made her core spasm again in remembrance. Fingers brushed against hers and she lazily allowed her head to fall to the side, a slight grin tugging at the corners of her mouth as she took in the dazed expression that was plastered over Laxus' face. _He looks as thrown off as I do…_

Her smile faltered at that thought and she had to look away. Reality was a bitch that never let one forget, and it flared to life in her head. He had proven himself right. Eve never stood a chance, and she knew that now with unwavering certainty. _Oh god… I'm a fucking whore._ The thought brought down the curtain of shame. The spot she'd occupied in Eve's bed had barely run cold and there she was, coming down from euphoric bliss in another man's bed. She'd only thought that her choices the night before had been horrible.

"When are you guys heading out?"

The deep voice beside her pulled her from the spiraling pit of her thoughts, and she blinked as she glanced back over at the Dragon Slayer. "Uh… Noon, I think."

His head lifted from the bed and a bark of laughter fell from his lips. "You've got a whole thirty minutes, Blondie."

"Oh, fuck me!" she groaned as she hurriedly rolled towards the edge of the bed. _Thirty minutes? Thirty fucking minutes? Fuck fuck fuck! I can't shower before then!_ Her mind raged as she began the search for her clothes. A deep chuckle from the bed made her pause and she cast a wary glance back. "What?"

Laxus gave a shrug of his shoulder as he rolled to his side. "Usually it's me running from a room," he grinned. "Kinda nice to see someone else doing it for a change."

"Fuck you," she spat out as she grabbed for her shorts and quickly yanked them on without thought.

"You just did," he smirked. "And what a shame, I was enjoying the view."

 _Yeah… Same here, Asshole._ She wasn't about to deny he was fucking sexy as hell laying there, but she didn't have time for that. He was the devil that had gotten her into this mess and now she had to figure a way out of it. "Sorry to disappoint," she said as she hastily pulled on her shirt. "And sorry to run but I gotta meet up with the team."

"It's all good… I know where you live."

His words made her pause, her fingers hesitating on the doorknob. She wanted to ask what he meant by that, but her fear stayed her tongue. This… whatever it was, could not happen again. She was as sure of that as she was of breathing. She'd come here to tell him off, only to cave. He was a serious threat to her, her sanity and who she was. "Yeah, see ya," she called out before pulling the door and rushing out of it. Her legs were still shaking, but now she didn't know if it was from him or the thought that kept repeating in her head over and over again. _What the hell have I done?_

* * *

 **And… there you have Day/Chapter 4. And yeah… I can't blame her for giving in. Have you seen the godlike Dragon Slayer. Hopefully you guys enjoyed their** _ **sparks**_ **as much as I did hehehe. These two will most likely kill me long before this story is ever done LOL! Between them here and Sound pod… yeah.**

 **Stay tuned for Chapter/Day 5 - Manga**

 **As always, please remember to review, fav and follow!**

 **Big hugs and much love!**

 **Princess Nana**


	6. Manga

**Hi everyone!**

 **Welcome to Day 5 of LaLu week! This whole week has been amazing. All the love for my OTP has been awesome so far. And the love that I've gotten for this story… you guys totally rock. The reviews alone have seriously made my day and the follows… I'm still picking my jaw up from the floor.**

 **But, on to the reading!**

 **As always, I don't own Fairy Tail or the characters… just the plot for this story.**

* * *

 **Chapter 5 - Manga**

Laxus turned up the volume on his sound pod to block out the incessant chatter of his team. Black Sabbath's _Paranoid_ blared to life in his ears, Ozzy's voice and the killer guitar drowning out the noise. It was going to be a long train ride back to Magnolia and already he was tired of listening to Bickslow's endlessly teasing Freed, the Rune mage's nonstop whining about said teasing and Evergreen's ear piercing screams for them to act more their age. It was like perpetually having screaming children weave in and out of his legs. _This is why I'd shoot myself if I had a kid…_ They were the ultimate form of birthcontrol.

To make matters worse, Bickslow had thrown his drunken girlfriend into the foray. Cana was a nice enough girl. Rocking body that he'd tapped in their teen years, before she'd become a walking barrel of ale. Laxus knew that under that inebriated exterior, she really did have a heart of gold. She just drank to cover up too many hurts, needing liquid courage to pull off her bitchy facade. Now she was just as loud and obnoxious as most of the other guild members. _Save one…_

His thoughts turned to the petite blonde Celestial mage, his mood darkening. He didn't want to think about her, and had been trying to put her out of his mind since she'd ran out the room to no avail. He was perplexed, stumped, mystified where she was concerned. He should be over the moon, he had her notch in his bedpost. The ultimate goal not only met but overachieved. Ok, so he had already guessed she'd be good in bed. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out. She had more guys chasing after those short skirts of hers than he could shake a stick at, not that she ever seemed to notice. But he sure as hell had not been prepared for full on sexual goddess, or demon. He wasn't quite sure which category to file her under just yet.

He'd _assumed_ she'd be exactly as the wrapper suggested. Shy, perhaps a little on the _moaner_ side of things. He had even factored in a few surprises, maybe even scream once or twice. The truth was a completely different story. She'd not only taken everything he gave her but returned it ten fold. It had not been anything like his usual sexual experience. Most women begged him to fuck them, and that's exactly what it was. He fucked them. Lucy? Not even close. Sure he'd fucked the hell out of her but she fucked back. She had been a full blown participant from the word go. And her mouth…

" _Fuck me, Laxus," Lucy growled as she pressed back against him. "Stop baiting me, you've already set the hook."_

" _Is this what you want?"_

" _Yes, goddamn it," she whimpered._

" _Are you sure?" he groaned when her core tightened around him. "I've got my doubts…"_

" _Yes, Laxus! Give it to me... Fuck me until I can't fucking see straight and I can't walk. I don't care! I just need your cock inside of me!"_

He bit his own lip to keep from moaning aloud at the mental images that flashed through his head. She was still plaguing him. The scent of her lingered despite his shower, the taste of her lips still clung to his lips and tongue despite brushing his teeth. Even now, he remained in a semi-hard state with the memory of her body wrapped around him. Women were a commodity, sexual partners who didn't leave impressions. There hadn't been any that left a lasting memorable mark. At least that was how it always was.

It pissed him off to no end that she was… _Different._ Not only had she left a mark, but she'd completely unhinged him. There had never been a time that he'd struggled to maintain control, much less lost it. He liked control, his life was built around it. With her though, she was like a thief. She stole all sense of time and reason. All sane thought fled, leaving a crazy lasciviousness in its place. He'd even lost all control over his own magic. He could've fried the entire damn hotel with both of them in it. _Try explaining that shit to Jiji._

He just didn't know what to make of the entire ordeal. He'd even been angry when she'd left. He tried to reason that it was because it was her doing the leaving. But deep inside where it counted, he knew that wasn't it. He'd craved more of her flesh, more of her time. And that not only confused him, but it terrified him. It occurred to him that he actually gave a shit. He'd been ready to go kill that kid at just the thought of him hurting her. _It's because she's Nakama, you dip shit._ He needed to just file her and the entire experience in the _Don't EVER fucking touch_ box and move on.

A tap to his shoulder pulled him from his descent into darkness, his eyes cracking to find Bickslow signalling him to remove his headphones. _What the fuck does he want?_ He hit the pause button on his music and slid the head piece down onto his neck. "Are you dying?"

The Seith mage blinked. "Uh… No."

"Bleeding profusely?"

"Well, no."

"Train derailing?"

"No…"

Laxus sighed and gave a shake of his head. "Then why the hell are you bothering me?"

Bickslow's lips started moving but not a sound came out until the brunette drunkard next to him spoke in his place. "Why the hell are you being such a dick?"

"Because I'm trying to fucking rest and you're bothering the shit out of me," he growled. He just wanted to be left alone to wallow in his own crap filled head.

"Would your lack of energy have anything to do with a certain little blonde I saw sneaking from your room?"

His eyes cut back to the Seith mage who apparently found his voice. _I'm so fucking lucky… Not!_ He forced his face to remain passive, shielding the fact that just the mention of her made his insides turn. _It was good fucking sex. Move the hell on, Asswipe._ "None of your goddamn business."

"Wait," Cana cut back in with a wave of her hand. "You're acting like a damn deprived jackass _after_ getting laid? She must of been one crappy ass lay, Lightning freak. Or, you need to set your standards a little higher."

 _Jackass._ It's what Lucy had called him too. At this rate, he was considering just changing his name. But crappy ass lay? She'd been far from that, setting the bar really fucking high for the ones that would follow after her. "Fuck you, Slosh Bucket," he sneered. "Who I fuck and how good they are is none of your damn concern."

"Unless it happens to be her best friend," Bickslow snickered. "Just sayin."

Laxus watched confusion fade into recognition on the Card mage's face while he made a mental note to shock his best friend until he shit his pants. Or at the very least beat the crap out of him. "Bicks… You're a fucking asshole," he ground out between clenched teeth.

"You did not," Cana glared. "Please tell me he is NOT talking about Lucy."

He simply shrugged, knowing it was pretty useless at that point to deny it. He didn't exactly relish talking about it. He was still trying to process it himself and there was no doubt in his mind where she would take the conversation. The blonde wasn't his girlfriend and he'd be damned if he was going to be roped into a relationship just because the Card mage would demand it. A slap on his leg pulled his attention to the brunette on the seat beside him, the self proclaimed Fairy Queen glaring at him with more venom than a rattlesnake. "What?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Evergreen asked incredulously. "Lucy Heartfilia is the last person you need to be messing with!"

"And just what the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Cana interjected.

The Fairy mage used the tip of her folded fan to push her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "Absolutely nothing other than she is too young and certainly not his type."

"My type?" Laxus questioned with a quirk of his brow. That was certainly a new one on him and he just had to hear this explanation.

"Yes," Evergreen sighed. "Lucy is a good, wholesome girl. Not exactly the kind you go for and let's face it. She'll want a commitment and we all know you're allergic."

Cana gave a nod of her head, her earlier aggravation seeming to evaporate instantaneously. "I fully agree with Ever on that," she said as she turned an unamused expression towards the slayer. "She's a fucking sweetheart and you couldn't tie yourself down to save your own soul."

"That is not very nice of either of you," Freed cut in as he looked up from his book, his hand reaching up to smooth away the nonexistent wrinkles from his perfectly tied cravat. "Laxus has no known allergies."

The Card mage clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "Except commitment, I know from personal experience."

"You assholes know I'm sitting right here, right?" Laxus groaned before giving Freed an apologetic shrug. "I do kinda have an aversion to commitment, just don't see the sense in it right now."

The Rune mage blinked, his lips thinning into a judgemental frown. "O-oh…"

"Freed," Bickslow chuckled as he gave the man a playful slap on the leg. "Don't be a stick in the mud."

The green-haired man glanced down, almost nervously at the hand on his thigh. "S-says the man who's in a very committed relationship."

The Seith mage gave shrug of his shoulder. "Hey… Cana's a fine piece of ass. Don't hate."

"Bicks…" Cana sighed.

Laxus quirked a brow as he watched shadows pass over Freed's face. He'd been best friends with the Rune Mage since they were teens. He knew all of the man's secrets, or so he had always thought. It had come as no shock when the man had confessed to being homosexual one drunken night. But, he'd never once seen the look of absolute rage that flashed in those azure pools as the man's glare flickered between the drunkard and Seith mage. _What the fuck is that about?_ It almost appeared to him that Freed was jealous. But of Bickslow? _Nah, it can't be. Can it?_

"You men are such bigots."

"Evergreen Fay," the Rune mage gasped. "I take extreme offense to that!"

The Fairy mage gave an overly feminine giggle. "Well, not you Freed. We all know who you want and just how loyal you are."

"W-whatever do you mean?" Freed stuttered.

"Oh please," Evergreen cooed. "No need to play coy with us, Silly."

Cana let out a cantankerous laugh. "Exactly, _Everyone_ knows you have the hots for Laxus here."

"Cana and Ever…" the Slayer growled in warning, knowing just how vicious those women could be.

"That is a bold faced lie," the Rune mage sulked. "Laxus is my best friend and that is all!"

"Freed, man. It's ok."

The Rune mage's face flushed as he turned a pointed look at the Seith mage. "I am telling the absolute truth. I do not have designs on Laxus."

"Seriously, it's cool," Bickslow shrugged. "I get it, team dynamics and all that jazz."

Laxus reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose, his head beginning to pound and his patience running seriously thin. He knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he was not a love interest for Freed. He'd addressed that the moment rumors began to pop up around the guild. It had been said then that they were brothers. ' _Laxus, while I love you with my whole heart and would die for you in an instant… I am not now, nor will I ever be, IN love with you. You're my family, you saved me when I needed it...'_ And in many ways, the Rune mage very much was his little brother. "Would you guys stop teasing him?"

"Yeah,' Cana chuckled. "He'll have a stroke or something and mess up his cravat."

Bickslow and Evergreen laughed, loudly. But he didn't miss the fact that Freed fell completely quiet, retreating back into his book. Laxus shook his head. He knew that the others didn't mean any harm, but the Rune mage did not handle any teasing that came his way very well. It stood to reason, given when the man came from. Abused, locked in closets for days on end without food or water, teased mercilessly for being a freak. The Rune mage had fled the moment a lucky opening had presented himself. It's how Laxus had found him. Scared out of his mind, hiding in a hollowed out tree from his brute of a father who was hacking away at the brush around him with threats to end his _miserable_ life. _But he's gotta learn to stand up for himself..._

"Ok, seriously," Bickslow said to break the odd silence that had fallen. "I think you're wrong, Ever. Cosplayer's cool. I think she might even have the same _allergy_ as the Boss Man."

"What?" Laxus blinked, with Evergreen and Cana chorusing in with him.

The Seith mage chuckled, his tongue lolling from his mouth. "Yeah, she was out on a date with that one kid she was at the ball with but then she's sneaking out of Laxus' room the next day… Sounds like commitment issues one-o-one."

The Card mage slapped the Seith mage on the arm. "Bicks, not fucking cool."

Laxus stared at his friend and teammate, his fist curling in his lap. Harsh words slipped out before he realized he was even speaking. "Are you saying Blondie's a fucking slut?"

"N-not at all," Bickslow stammered nervously. "But… I mean, come on. That makes what? Two of the He-ho's from Blue Pegasus, a gay guy and now you?"

Evergreen suddenly chucked her fan across the train cabin, hitting the Seith mage in the head. "Seriously, that sweet little girl?' She laughed dryly as though trying to play it off. "She probably wouldn't know what a penis is mu-"

"Oh, no. She knows alright," Laxus muttered to cut her off.

Bickslow let out a laugh and raised a hand towards the Slayer, high fiving him as if in triumph. It didn't exactly feel like a victory. It tasted the same as it had when Lucy had caved, admitting he had been right. The fact that it bothered him only muddied the waters more. _She's just a fuck, keep your head in the game._ Freed gave him a disappointed look before getting up, and his eyes followed him toward the door. That shouldn't have bothered him either, but it did.

"No one really needs to know that," Evergreen groaned before turning to look pointedly at the slayer. "Just remember, she's nakama. I think you're both wrong and you'd do well to not go tarnishing her reputation with your guy chatter."

Laxus simply gave a nod, trying to ignore the way the word _Nakama_ grated on his nerves. He knew the word, all too well. It had been his excuse for his sudden discovery of a conscience. _I stepped in a big ol' pile of horse shit this time..._

* * *

A groan came from the seat across from her, and Lucy looked over at the green tinted Dragon Slayer with mild irritation. She was used to this. Natsu's motion sickness was par for the course. But listening to his unrelenting moans, groans and gags was wearing her already frazzled nerves paper thin. She'd only just made it in time to load up after hauling ass from Laxus' room to their room. Thankfully, Virgo had appeared just in the nick of time to provide her with a fresh change of clothes and had taken her other ones back to the celestial realm to scrub the Slayer's scent from them. There hadn't been time to fully bathe, which earned her a strange look from Natsu when she'd arrived.

She couldn't be mad at him, knowing he was going to ask. She'd actually expected him to do so in front of the entire team, but thankfully for once he'd held his tongue. Any chance of him speaking on the ride had been completely squashed with the first jerk of the wagon. But she knew it was only a matter of time. They would arrive back in Magnolia, and the questions would start. She had zero clues as to how she was going to get herself out of this pickle. And what it pickle it was. _God, I am so fucking stupid..._

Turning in her seat, she pulled the curtains back to gaze out at the passing scenery. It was a beautiful day. Outside of town, there was rolling countryside as far as the eye could see. Farmers' fields dotted the lush plains of green, occasional patches of sunflowers, bright sunlight with a gentle breeze that kept the usually oppressive July heat away. Unfortunately, her stormy mood ruined it for her. And it was all her own doing. As much as she wanted to blame Laxus, all of the culpability lay solely on her shoulders. She'd chosen to push aside logic and sleep with Eve. She'd chosen to get Laxus' room number, against her better judgement, and go up there to confront him. She'd made her own bed this time.

A heavy sigh came from the back of the wagon, and she turned to find Gray staring out the back of their wagon. His face looked no cheerier than her own and he'd been looking out the same way for miles. The shadows that had clouded his deep blue eyes before were back but darker somehow. She wanted so bad to ask what was wrong, even if just to take her mind off of her own mounting troubles, but that was rather hard with the whole team in such cramped quarters. _I need to pull him aside later when we're home…_

Turning her attention from the Ice Make mage, she glanced down at the small slayer was sleeping on the bench next to her. Wendy handled her motion sickness like a pro, choosing to sleep most times to avoid using her troia spell too often. The small slayer sighed in sleep, bringing a small smile to her face. She loved the girl like a little sister and knew that love was returned equally. Bringing her fingertips to her lips, Lucy pressed a kiss to them before gently combing them through the girl's blueberry hair. A soft giggle pulled her attention over to the Requip mage who had her nose buried in a book.

"What ya reading, Erza?"

The redhead looked up, almost startled. "Oh… Uh," she nervously chuckled. "Just a book I picked up."

Lucy loved to read. Books were a great way to escape reality for a while, allowing her to live another life or visit another world. "Ooh! A new book," she smiled. "What's it about?"

Before the Requip mage could respond, the wagon gave a violent jerk, josseling everything and everyone inside. Her hand was barely able to catch the tiny slayer beside her before the girl spilled off of the bench. Natsu fell to the floor with a groan and the book that Erza had been reading fell to smack the guy in the face. "Natsu," she squeaked as she bent down without thought. She lifted the book and heard a gasp as something slipped from inside, yet again smacking the Dragon Slayer in the face.

"Oh no," Erza groaned.

Lucy blinked as she stared, transfixed, at the magazine-like book that was perched atop Natsu's nose. Once. Twice. Five times. She knew what it was straight away, the pink-haired slayer had gotten her into reading manga when she'd first come to the guild. But this was not the run of the mill manga cover she was used to seeing. _Punch Up?_ The name didn't ring a bell, but the two characters on the front is what captivated her attention. A large male possessively embraced a smaller male from behind. The small male's shirt completely undone and pulled back to display his chest, while the large man looked to be on the verge of kissing said smaller male. It wasn't their lovers embrace that got her, it was the fact that the large male was blond and bore an all too familiar resemblance to a certain Lightning Dragon Slayer she knew while the younger man's face could have easily passed as Eve despite his ginger hair.

Casting a wary glance at the Requip mage, who quite frankly appeared to be on the verge of birthing a full litter of kittens, she slowly bent back down to grasp the manga. Her thumb brushed over the cover, her eyes averting from the blond's smirking face to the words _Explicit Content_ that was stamped in one corner. _Don't you even, this is not the time to go getting curious._ Warning bells sounded in her head, but being the person she was, she shut them out as she thumbed the edges and flipped the book open. The images that greeted her raised her brows to her hairline as heat blazed across her cheeks. _No fucking wonder she's gonna drop a damn litter!_

There, right under her fingertips, were probably the most pornographic images she'd ever seen in print. She quickly slammed the pages shut but what she'd seen could not be unseen, the pictures plastering themselves on the front lobes of her brain. She wasn't a prude in any sense of the word, had seen porn before and certainly held no aversions to male on male or female on female love. To each their own and she hoped they enjoyed themselves doing it. But she definitely had not been prepared to find a black and white display of one man giving another man a blowjob, or a rim job for that matter. ' _No… It's dirty there!'_ She slapped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing as her eyes inadvertently strayed to Gray, who was staring at her curiously. _Oh god no! I don't want that image in my head!_

"What?" The Ice Make mage queried.

Lucy shook her head, unable to voice what was going through her mind. How could she just come out and say that her thoughts had immediately gone straight to the gutter, picturing him and Natsu in that very same situation. Part of her was repulsed by her own perversion, part barely holding onto the desire to roll around on the floor laughing until she pissed herself. Then there was that little slice of hurt inside that pricked at her already bleeding heart. _Just be happy for them and get over it._

"Um.. Erza," she finally said once she found her voice. "Wh-why are you reading this?"

"Well…"

Wendy leaned against her, trying to peer at the book. "What is it?"

Lucy clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth as she looked down at the child incredulously. "You don't ne-" She started only to cut her words off when the book was ripped from her grasp.

"She can't see this!" Gray screeched as he thumbed through the manga. "Erza! What the hell?"

The redhead reached a hand up to rub at her neck as she looked shamefully away. "What?" She frowned. "I… I thought it looked interesting."

"Uh, you do realize it's about boy on boy love," Gray muttered as he continued to thumb through the pages. "Right?"

"Of course I know!"

Lucy shook her head as her gaze flickered between the two. While surprised, she knew she shouldn't really be. The Redhead was well known for her more _risque_ reading habits. And ok, just a small part of her (the insanely inquisitive side) wanted to ask to borrow the damn thing when Erza was done. _Not that I'd admit that out loud._ "Well…" she started with an apprehensive glance at the young (and thoroughly confused) Dragon Slayer beside her. "Maybe you should save it for when you're at home. Wendy doesn't need to see that."

"Hey, I'm not that young," the small girl bellowed. "I know what yaoi and yuri are."

She choked at the girl's words but it was Erza and Gray that gave voice to the question in her mind. "Wh-what?"

Wendy gave a small shrug of her shoulder. "Well sure, I read manga you guys. I think almost everyone in the guild does."

A groan came from the floor of the wagon, and Lucy looked down to find Natsu rolling over in sleep. _At least he's finally out for the count…_ "Alrighty then," she mumbled as she sat back and got comfortable again.

* * *

Lucy looked up at the _new and improved_ guild hall, her neck craning back to take in the entire spectacle. She certainly could understand Makarov's tears, the Mayor had supremely outdone himself. Other guild members rushed past her, but her own feet were firmly planted on the sidewalk. Between the long ride home, the lack of sleep thanks to her racing mind and the parade there in town, she was completely beat. She could think of nothing else at that moment that sounded better than a hot bath and the inviting comfort of her own bed. She just knew that with a good night's sleep and plenty of rest, she could rope her mind in long enough to come up with an intelligible solution to the current issue at hand. What to do about the mess she'd created with Eve and Laxus.

"Come on, Luce!"

She glanced at Natsu as he ran past only to stop further down the walk before he looked back expectantly. "I can see it tomorrow," she called out as she lifted her bag from the ground. "I'm just gonna go home. I miss my tub."

"Nonsense," Erza smiled as she stopped next to her and linked an arm through hers. "We were just given a great present for our victory, it would be rude to not go inside."

She stumbled forward as the Requip mage pulled her towards the door, her eyes cutting to the woman with all the venom she could muster. The child inside of her envisioned pulling away, throwing her bag at said woman's head and throwing herself on the ground to kick and scream until they gave up. But she knew that in reality she would just simply look no better than Natsu, or Asuka. _And I'm not a kid…_ She scrapped her tongue against her teeth, the word left a foul taste in her mouth. She was really coming to hate that word. "Fine," she muttered. "But only for a few minutes."

Lucy allowed herself to be lead through the large wooden doors, her jaw dropping once they were inside. Their guild hall, before Tenrou, had been large and beautiful in its own right. But the new design with high vaulted ceilings, rows upon rows of long tables, a large bar that dominated one end of the main room and the stone stairs that led up to the second floor. It was like being inside the Taj Mahal. It was grand and she was instantly in love. Fairy Tail was her home, and any guild hall they had would be their own. But this, this was a guild hall befitting the Fairies and symbolized all of the hard work, blood, sweat and tears that made up their family. "Wow," she awed in a whisper.

"I know," Erza whispered beside her. "This is… I must find out who designed it."

Her face fell, and she looked over at the Requip Mage. "Why?"

"Because I can see myself living in a palace like this."

 _She is so delusional._ "But you already have a house," she blinked. "A nice one."

"Yes, but-"

The doors bursting open behind them cut the Requip mage's words off, and Lucy glanced back. Usually it was only ever Natsu and Gildarts that hit the door with that much force. One she'd already seen running up the stairs and the lack of warning bells in the city told her it couldn't be the later. She found herself doing a double take when the Poison Dragon Slayer came sauntering in. It really wasn't his presence though that had her looking, she'd already heard about him joining the guild. It was the three that accompanied him that had her stumped. Kinana on his left, chattering away and Gajeel on his right with Pantherlily in tow.

"Erik!" Kinana chuckled. "No need to take the doors off the hinges, lighten up."

"I told ya don't call me that in public," Cobra frowned. "And I can't _lighten_ up. Assholes screaming their fucking faces off in hotels so everyone can fucking hear tends to be bad for sleep."

Her jaw dropped in astonishment as her eyes followed the foursome through the hall, and up to the bar. The grumbled words should have had her screaming, but his implication was quickly forgotten as her gaze dropped. Like a private eye, her mind took snap shots. Cobra's hand just barely grazing Gajeel's as they moved, the lack of space between the two Slayers and the abundant distance between the Poison Dragon Slayer and the violet-haired woman. _Oh. My. God! They… They… Noooo._ Her eyes drifted back up to find Cobra looking back at her, a devious smirk on his lips as he gave her a quick wink before turning back to the man beside him.

"Wh-what the hell is he doing here?"

Erza's words pulled her from her stupor and she glanced over to find the Requip mage shooting daggers at the newest arrival. "He's being assigned to Fairy Tail by Lahar," she whispered. "Princess Hisui granted him release because of his help with the Dragons."

"Over my dead body," the Redhead frowned. "I must go talk to Master about this."

Lucy sighed and reached out to grab the woman before she could go running off. Sure, she wasn't the biggest fan of the Slayer. He'd not only tried to kill her entire team once, but twice. He'd been involved in the infinity clock fiasco that had almost claimed her life. "Erza, don't."

"Don't what?" the Requip mage gasped. "He is a filthy criminal. Must I remind you about his involvement with the Oracion Seis?"

Lucy realized everyone in the guild was staring between them and the Poison Dragon Slayer. She knew that the other members' attitudes would weigh heavily on whatever happened. She didn't know why she suddenly felt compelled to defend him, perhaps it was Gajeel's presence at the Slayer's side. Maybe it was her forgiving nature or maybe she was evil and just wanted to see the guy fall on his ass. Before she could fully consider it, she pulled the Requip mage back. "Erza, look around," she whispered. "All of us are former criminals in one way or another. Gaj was involved with Phantom, Laxus tried taking out the whole city and guild with his thunder palace, our team destroys whole towns and Jellal…"

Erza's face softened, a sad look crossing her mocha eyes. "Lucy, that…" She gave her a hesitant look before bowing her head. "You're right."

"Just giving everyone a fair shot," Lucy laughed before glancing over in the Poison Slayer's direction. He was staring at her in unveiled interest, his curiosity arching a brow. _I know you can hear my thoughts. You fucking owe me one, Bleach Brain._ His eye narrowed before an eerie smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, letting her know he heard her well enough before he turned away. She knew that guy could easily kill her if he chose, but oddly enough, she didn't feel the urge to fear him at the moment. She'd faced death, there was nothing he could do to her that could be any worse than that. _Unless he decided his name is Laxus…_ With a sigh, she turned for the door. If she was lucky, she could make it out and home before that asshole showed his face.

"I bet the neighbors know my name, the way you screamin' scratchin' yellin'."

The belted out lyrics stopped her just as she reached the door and she spun to find Cobra grinning in her direction. His mumbled words from before finally made it through the fog in her brain. _Oh fuck me, seriously? He heard?_ She felt heat rise to her cheeks. If he knew, did that mean the Dragon Slayer beside him had heard as well? She didn't really want to contemplate the possibility. With eyes wide, she spun to leave but face planted into a brick wall that wasn't there before. _That… too soft for a wall and god, it smells so damn go-_

"Wow, Blondie. Others might start to think you're happy to see me."

Lucy's whole body stiffened at the sound of Laxus' voice. _Really Karma? REALLY?_ He was the last person she wanted to see, even if he did smell like ambrosia. She forced herself to pull back from the intoxicating scent and warmth of him, ignoring the fact that her body instantly craved more. "You're so damn full of yourself," she grumbled. "Jackass."

"So you aren't happy to see me?" Laxus smirked.

Evergreen brushed past him, her fan hitting him in the chest before she gave Lucy an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Lucy. He has no manners."

The expression on the Fairy mage's face, while friendly, didn't quite set so well with her. It took Lucy all of five seconds to realize why. It was familiar, too familiar and a little too knowing. _Fuck me, she knows too. Goddamn it!_ She straightened her bag on her back and gave a quick nod of her head. "No worries," she mumbled before quickly side stepping around the group and exiting through the door without another look back.

* * *

Eve bid everyone a good night and quickly made it up to his room. He'd been chomping at the bit since they'd arrived, wanting desperately to get away from the prying minds of his teammates and guild master. He'd been forced to play escape and evade the entire trip home. Why did he and Lucy disappear? Why was there a note on the door? Why wasn't Lucy with him for breakfast the next morning? Why wasn't he going after her? When were they going to get married and have thirty-three babies? He was absolutely convinced that Master Bob had spent too much time talking to the Fairy Demon. He could admit, they were all valid questions. Ok, maybe not the last. There was no way Lucy would agree to thirty-three babies, but he was sure he could convince her that five was a good, solid number. _Gotta convince her of my affections first…_

The morning after their night together, he'd woken with the firm belief that they were surely of the same mind and heart. He was sure that her agreeing to be with him meant that she felt the same. But, then he'd turned over to find her gone. Where she should have been laid a folded piece of paper. He'd been hurt at first, but then he'd read her note and allowed himself to completely go over the rush of the last couple of days. While she tried to put on a happy face, he could see her reluctance. And he couldn't blame her. He knew about the hurt with Hibiki now, and had the misfortune of hearing about Natsu and Gray. He had no doubts that she had harbored feelings for the Dragon Slayer. Anyone with eyes could see it.

 _I was too forward, pressured her with that kiss._

The thought made him frown. Given her past with men, he just knew she probably felt like she had to. It was why he'd sent the card and flowers. He wanted her to know what she meant to him, wanted her to know that he wanted more. It was firmly decided then that he would show her what love was. He would show her that she deserved all the best in life. He wanted her to see him as a man, and not a boy like the other guys she'd been with. He needed to tell her how he felt first and then follow it up with evidence of his affections. With a renewed spirit, he pushed up off of the door and went about pulling pen and paper from his desk drawer. He knew she should be home by now, or very close to it. He sat down and smiled as the words began to flow from the pen's tip.

 _My Dearest Lucy,_

 _I sincerely hope that your trip home was uneventful and that you made it there safely. I hope that your team was good to you and that you liked the small token of my affection. I know lilies are your favorite, but the roses were too pretty to pass up. They reminded me of the beauty your smile brings to my life and the world around you._

 _Life is so unpredictable. Changes are always coming, big or small. When we met, so many years ago, I knew then that I had found my soul mate. One look at you and my heart was forever lost. But I had to keep that to myself, admiring you from afar and being content to just be the young boy you had befriended. When Tenrou happened, I was so lost. So many said that we would never see you or the others again, but I never lost faith. I knew, believed with everything that I was, that you would come back. It was why we never stopped looking. I had to ask myself what is really special about you?_

 _It might be all the things I see on the surface, the things that everyone notices and admires about your qualities, talents, and wonderful smile so obviously connected to a warm and loving heart. These things set you apart from everyone else. And it might also be the little things-the way you walk, the way you talk, and every action. It gives me joy just to see a smile in your eyes. If I ever figure out the magic that makes you so special, I'd probably find out that it's a combination of all these things. You are such a very rare person, and I cannot help but be lost to you._

 _Inside me there is a place where my sweetest dreams reside, where my highest hopes are kept alive, where my deepest feelings are felt, and where my favorite memories are kept safe and warm. I find that you're on my mind more often than anything else. Sometimes I intentionally think of you just to make my day brighter. But more often, you surprise me and I find you in my thoughts. There are even times when I realize you've been a part of my dreams. Then during the day, when my imagination is free to run, it takes me into your arms and allows me to linger there, knowing there's nothing I'd rather do. I know my thoughts are reflecting the loving hopes of my heart because whenever they wander, they always take me to you._

 _Only special things can come inside my heart and stay. And now, I realize how deeply my life has been touched by you. You have captivated my heart, with all of the woman that you are and I hope that in time, you will see me as the man who can be trusted with your heart._

 _Yours eternally,_

 _Eve_

Once he was done, he pushed back from the desk and gave the letter a good read over. He needed it to be perfect, because she was exquisite in his eyes. Perfection personified. He got up and ran to the valet on his dresser top. He spritzed a little bit of his cologne on the paper and slid it carefully into an envelope to be mailed out with the morning parcels.

* * *

 **As I stated before, this is a twist on the timeline set out by Hiro Mashima. A twist, meaning it won't be canon or just like the anime/manga. Yes, while I know Erza was drawing on their ride home. I altered it to reading for the purpose of the prompt. But, I hope you guys enjoyed!**

 **The manga she was reading is called** _ **Punch Up**_ **by Kano Shiuko. And yes, I did quite literally choke on my own spit when I looked it up and read the first volume LOL.**

 **Song lyrics mentioned by Cobra:**

 **Trey Songz** _ **Neighbors Know My Name**_ **watch?v=7R4sK63l3wQ**

 **Tomorrow is Day 6, or chapter 6 for me, but as I said in the beginning, it might be a day or so late. Which inadvertently means chapter 7 will also be late as well. Sorry for the delay up front but I am hammering away on those for you guys.** _ **Sound Pod on Shuffle**_ **and** _ **Soulful Fugue**_ **are on the backburner until then and I've forbidden myself to work on anything else until these chapters are complete and posted for you guys!**

 **As always, Please Review, Follow and Fav!**

 **Big hugs and much love,**

 **Princess Nana**


	7. Games

**Hi everyone!**

 **A day late, but it's here… Chapter 6 or Day 6's prompt.**

 **For H.M. Akhlys (Guest) and others who have asked, this will not end with chapter 7. This story will be a full-length chapter story. There are many more chapters to come, so no need to be sad. This will be a long, very bumpy ride :D**

 **I don't own Fairy Tail or the characters, but the plot is all my own.**

 **On to the reading!**

* * *

 **Chapter 6 - Games**

Lucy sighed as her eyes trained on the ground passing beneath her feet, her mind stuck on the paper that was crumbled in the trash can back at her apartment. She'd been back an entire two days and had started to think that maybe she just might be able to skate out of the entire Laxus and Eve scandal. The Dragon Slayer had thankfully been kept busy by Makarov, or so she'd heard. Not that she cared because she didn't. In any way, shape or form. The latter had not contacted her once. No cards, candy or flowers. No calls to her communication lacrima. Nothing but quiet bliss. Until the Landlady came knocking on her door that morning.

She had woke early, got her shower, dressed and packed her bag for the four or five-day trip. Natsu and Gray, she knew would be there by eight for them to head out to meet up with Yukino. It was a trip solely for the purpose of gifting their Zodiac spirits with whatever their hearts desired, as payment for their help with the Eclipse Gate. Had it not been for them, they would have never gotten the gate closed to stave off any more dragons coming through. The seven that had managed to slip in were more than they could handle as is. She had already eaten breakfast and was actually getting some writing done when the knock had sounded at her door. Apparently some of her mail had been mixed up with the old, crotchety woman's. And much to her dismay, a neatly addressed envelope had laid on top hailing from the Blue Pegasus guild.

The words were beautiful, moving even. He saw her as a woman, a breathtaking one at that. He had spoken of her talents, her heart, her personality. He declared that he saw past what other men saw, seeing who she was beneath. She should be flattered if she were someone else perhaps. Instead of being flattered or filled with reciprocating appreciation, she'd practically cringed with every eloquently written letter. It was so much worse than she'd previously imagined. He'd been harboring feelings for her for years, almost an entire decade. This was not some temporary infatuation brought on by seeing her or by the grievous mistake of sleeping with him. No, that mistake only seemed to open the floodgates that had previously contained his endearing attachment. She wasn't special or warm. Her actions were proof of that. She was weak, evil, selfish… _No better than Laxus._

Just that one name threw her entire being into chaos. He represented everything dark, pure unadulterated wickedness. And all it had taken was a single touch for her to succumb to the allure. He represented the world without rules, without order, without conscience. It was everything her world wasn't, everything she didn't think she could ever be. And just maybe that was it. Just maybe that was what drew her to him like a moth to a flame. She ached for change, and this had her questioning if this was the universe's sick joke in response. _No. It isn't, so don't even go down that path._ She heard her voice of reason, but it did not quell the instant desire to feel his hands on her again and that should have been proof enough to walk away. Eve represented everything she should want. Stability, love, affection. Laxus was purely a physical desire that came with what would only be a mountain of pain.

"-ould just ask her, Flame Brain."

"Shut up, Ice Prick."

"You're such a damn chicken. The almighty Fire Dragon's son is scared of a girl."

"I'll show you scared, Snowflake!"

The conversation between her traveling companions drew her from her thoughts, and she looked up to find them nudging each other on the trail in front of her. Their words and insults were just as they'd always been, but it was different. For the first time, there was no venom or aggression on their faces. A gentle smile rose on her face as she witnessed the smiles of open adoration they gave each other and the way their hands fell to link their pinky fingers together. Their coming out had shocked her and everyone else in the guild. But, watching them now, she realized this was exactly how it was always meant to be. All of the competition between them, the constant bickering. It had all just been a curtain they'd used to hide what was always there. An earnest and heartwarming love, an unwavering respect and trust that had been nurtured from a lifetime of fighting side by side. They'd bled, cried, fallen and rejoiced for each other, forging an unbreakable bond.

 _I'll never have that…_

A heavy sigh slipped between her lips, realizing she wasn't exactly worthy of it. An offer for such a life was already on the table, and she didn't feel inclined in the least to take it. She just didn't feel that way for the Snow mage. Pushing away the thought, she picked up her pace. "Ask who what?" she asked as she fell into step beside the lovers and blue Exceed.

"Natsu thinks you're in looooove," Happy crooned with a devilish grin.

The Slayer clicked his tongue before swinging his free arm up at the cat. "I never said that, Happy!"

She glanced over at Gray who shrugged sheepishly before quirking a brow at Natsu. "Wanna fill me in here, Ash Breath?"

"Well, uh…"

The Ice Make mage shook his head with a sigh. "I'm gonna take Happy on ahead," he offered. "Give you two time to talk, ok?"

"No!" the Exceed pouted. "Natsu, don't make me go."

The Slayer gave the cat a pointed look. "Luce and I need some friend time, Little Buddy."

"Come on, Happy," Gray insisted as he walked ahead. "Maybe we'll find a lake to fish in."

Lucy couldn't help the giggle that slipped out as the Exceed's entire demeanor changed at the mention of fish. Happy could be so easily bought, and she would eternally be grateful for Gray knowing that. She had the sinking feeling that she knew what was to come, and she definitely did not need the cat knowing any more than he did. She was still struggling with whether to be honest with Natsu or not. She was kicking herself enough, she couldn't handle him looking at her in disappointment.

"What's going on with you, Eve, and Laxus?" Natsu finally asked when the two were well out of earshot.

She let out a heavy sigh. It was as she'd feared. "What do you mean?" she asked, wanting to know what he'd figured out up until then.

Natsu reached up to scratch his head as he appeared to chew on his bottom lip before he dared to speak. "Luce… After the ball, ya know, when I crawled into bed with you…" He paused, as though he was unsure of how to say what was in his head. "Well, you smelled like Eve and then when we loaded up to leave Crocus, you smelled like Laxus."

 _Fucking Slayers and their damn noses!_ "And?" she questioned hesitantly.

He dropped a hand and slipped it into hers as he offered her a sad smile. "Lucy, how long have we been friends?"

"A very long time now," she smiled.

He nudged her shoulder with his own before his fingers flexed gently against her hand. "And haven't I told you that I'm always here for ya? No matter what?"

And that was why she loved him. His words made her chest ache in the best of ways and tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. He wasn't hers, not the way she'd thought she would have him, but he was still hers. He was her very best friend. "I love you, Natsu."

"Love ya too, Luigi," he winked. "Now, get to talking before I have to burn something to the ground."

A small chuckle slipped from her lips, knowing full well that he would do just that. It's just how he was. The thought to lie came back to her, along with the thousands of scenarios her mind had conceived. But she knew that at the end of the day, he was the one person she couldn't hold things back from. "I screwed up," she sighed. "Big time, and not really sure what to do to fix it."

"Luce," Natsu chuckled. "You could never screw up that bad."

"I don't know about that, Natsu…"

He glanced down at her with a knowing grin. "I do, and while I don't know all the details, this isn't that unfixable."

She appreciated his optimism, she did. But at the moment, it was a moot point in her mind. "Easy for you to say," she resigned with a sigh. "You didn't sleep with two people back to back."

"Yeah… I did."

She blinked, her breath catching at his admission. "Wh-what?"

Regret flashed in his obsidian eyes, his lips thinning. "It doesn't really matter," he said tightly. "What does though is the fact that no matter what you think, you aren't a bad person. You're a little… lost right now, I would say."

"That's one way to put it, but Natsu…" She wanted to say that it did matter. The pinch in her chest told her it did. But in the end, she'd already forgiven him and everything that could possibly come out. He found his happy, and that was all she really wanted for him, for them all. "Eve really does like me. More than that according to the letter I got. And Laxus… I don't even know what to say about him."

"Well it is Laxus," Natsu chuckled. "But seriously, take it one at a time. How do you feel about Eve?"

Lucy sighed, her shoulders slumping in shame. "Nothing," she whispered. "He's a really nice guy, one any girl would kill to have but I don't feel anything for him outside of friendship."

"Then it seems you've made up your mind there," he shrugged. "So, look at sleeping with him as exactly that. You needed to sort out how you felt, but please tell me you were, at least, safe."

She cringed at his words. That was still something that ate at her. While she was good, birth control shots were a requirement for all the unmarried women in the guild, but she'd only used protection with Eve. She wanted to punch Laxus in the face for that little fuck up, but then her own mind had been too far gone to even consider asking him to use one. As for how she felt, Natsu's words couldn't be further from the truth. She'd figured that out long before. "I was," she said, stretching the truth. There was still a matter of STD testing. "I tried to make myself feel something for Eve."

"Because you see him as the path you should be walking," Natsu remarked, his voice seemingly distant. "But it's wrong because it's the path everyone else expects you to choose and not really what you'd choose for yourself."

She found herself looking away, her heart aching in remorse. He was speaking from his own personal experience, and she'd been a part of that burden. "Natsu, I…" A squeeze to her hand stopped her and she looked over to find him smiling affectionately at her.

"It wasn't you," he said reassuringly. "I played a part in that too, but do the kid a favor. Just be honest with him. While I don't know what's up with you and Laxus, for his sake I probably don't need to know. Just be upfront from the get go. I wasn't and someone really special to me got hurt because of it."

Lucy sniffled as she reached up to wipe away a tear that slipped down her cheek. "I hope you and Gray find all the happiness you deserve."

Natsu pulled her to a stop and reached up to brush a thumb across her cheek. "I've always hated seeing you cry," he smiled. "It hurts my chest. But don't worry about me and him, we're good. Just…" He paused and wrapped his arms around her, his cheek nuzzling the top of her head. "Live life, Luce. Stop wondering what if. Take chances and find what will make you happy, because that's all I really want for you."

She wrapped her arms around him tight as she buried her nose in the crook of his neck. Cinnamon and a campfire would always be one of her favorites. It was the way home smelled, the comfort of love and family. Tears she couldn't hold back any longer slipped down her cheeks as she allowed herself to melt into his embrace. "Thanks, Natsu," she whispered against his collar. "You really are my very best friend, promise me you'll never stop."

"You're pretty much stuck with my immature ass," he chuckled before pressing his lips against her hair. "But we might wanna catch up with them. Happy is probably driving Gray crazy right about now."

* * *

"Come on Luigi! I said I'm sorry!"

Lucy didn't bother to so much as look back as she hit the guild doors with more force than even she thought she had. The heavy wooden object slammed against the stone wall, the thunderous sound echoing in the hall as she stormed inside. She didn't even blink when everyone suddenly went silent and turned to stare at her in what could only be described as fear. She couldn't give a single shit. Her shirt, what was left of it, barely maintained its grasp on her body, the bulk of it burned to ashes. Her skirt was long gone, only the waist of it still intact thanks to her thick leather belt. If it wasn't for her special order bikini, she'd be bare. As usual. And her hair… There was no getting a comb or brush through what was left of the leaf and stick riddled rats nest ever again. Not without some serious help from Cancer. "No, Natsu," she roared. "Just… No!"

"But it really was an accident!" the Fire Dragon Slayer whined as he hurriedly followed behind.

Gray followed them both with Happy in tow, his head shaking. "That was definitely no accident, Flame Thrower."

She put the brakes on and turned to glare at the Slayer. There was no way in hell that had been an accident. The Slayer had been startled by a random screaming goat, and it had pissed him off. So much so that he'd taken to setting fire to an entire field of wheat in his attempt to deliver what he had called payback. She knew exactly what it was, knowing him as well as she knew herself. This wasn't a mission to fight and he'd simply wanted something to set ablaze. Unfortunately, she had to dip into her savings to pay restitutions for the damaged crops. _I'm never going to get ahead..._ "Just like all the others were accidents?" she seethed. "Why do you think I've taken to wearing a damn fire retardant bikini under my clothes now out on missions? I don't want to end up naked like I always do!"

"But-"

"No buts, Natsu," she barked, effectively cutting off his excuse. "You have got to get that destructive streak under control, until then… I won't be doing any missions with you."

"That's a little harsh, don't ya think?" Gray frowned as he came up beside the Slayer.

Natsu's shoulders slumped with a heavy sigh. "No, she's right," he said softly. "I'm sorry, Luce. I'll try to be more careful."

She hated that defeated look on him, and part of her wanted so badly to forgive him the way she always did. But, she knew that if she did, he'd never learn. This was one of those changes she needed to make. It was okay to not jump into forgiving someone just to spare their feelings. "Thanks," she nodded before turning back and making her way to the bar. The plan was to grab a smoothie and head to the house before anything else happened. _Like Laxus._ Just his name in her head had her searching, but thankfully he was nowhere insight. But what was were flowers. Everywhere.

Vases upon vases were placed all around the guild hall. Behind the bar, placed randomly on tables as centerpieces, framing the staircase. Some were starting to wilt while some looked as though they'd just been placed. Everywhere she looked there were lilies, rose, daisies, tulips, sunflowers, orchids. It begged the question as to why she hadn't noticed the pungent fragrance that filled the hall like a bad air freshener.

"Did I miss the flower festival or something while I was gone?" she asked as she slid up onto a barstool.

The white-haired demon behind the bar chuckled and glanced around. "No, these have been coming in for you all day, every day since you left."

Lucy groaned as her stomach gave a roll. She didn't have to ask to know just where they'd come from. There might as well have been a flashing neon sign above every damn bouquet that read Eve. "Oh god…"

"Apparently our little Lucy has quite the admirer," Mira cooed with an unmistakeable devious gleam in her eyes as she reached under the bar. "These are all yours, too," she said as she hefted a not-so-small stack of envelopes and papers from down below to place in front of the Celestial mage.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" Lucy whined. "I was only gone five days!"

The white-haired demon gave a shrug of her shoulder and giggled. "It's cute."

She felt her face fell as she glared at the woman. "No, Mira. It isn't, not in any way, shape or form," she sighed as she started flipping through the stack. There were seemingly countless _While You Were Gone_ slips, all bearing the name of the same caller. Eve. _Obsess much?_ She slid them all off to the side and paused as she came to the first envelope. The handwriting was unmistakable despite never having seen it before. The return address was for Sabertooth, and it looked like Natsu's handwriting. _Sting_ … She carefully used her nail to rip the top open and pulled out the paper, an unexpected chuckle slipping from her lips.

 _Miss Heartfilia,_

 _Yukino won't tell me the whole story about what happened on your mission. So, I am going to ask you for a small favor… WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED OUT THERE? SHE SHOWS BACK UP AT MY GUILDHALL IN HER FUCKING UNDERWEAR WITH A DAMN COLD, RANTING ABOUT NATSU BURNING CRAP AND GRAY TURNING HER INTO A FUCKING ICE CUBE!_

 _I would appreciate any help you can give me on this matter._

 _Master Sting_

Lucy carefully folded the paper back up and slid it off to the side. There was no way she was touching that with a ten-foot pole. That was all Natsu. If the White Dragon Slayer wanted an explanation so bad, he could contact the pyromaniac himself. Or his boyfriend. She didn't really care who, just as long as she wasn't stuck in the middle of that clusterfuck. Sorting through more, there had to be at least twenty envelopes of different colors, shapes and sizes. All were addressed to her with Eve's return address stamped on them and the sickly sweet aroma of his cologne wafting off of them. She had to wonder where someone could even find a man's cologne that smelled of Ice Cream and Sweet Tarts. It was just unnatural for any man to smell like that.

Pushing them into a pile all of their own, she tossed aside a couple of junk items. It was things that should have gone to her home, but then they'd just end up in her landlord's box. Their mail service really left a lot to be desired. She finally reached the bottom and was going to put it in the Eve pile when she realized it was different. While it was from the Blue Pegasus guild, the handwriting was completely different and the paper smelled like spicy wood and citrus. It was an old smell, one she didn't even think you could buy anymore. _I don't even think Master wears Brut anymore…_ Shaking her head, she opened the blue envelope and pulled out the embossed linen card that was inside. Gold foil flowers and scrolls framed the black lettering that was perfectly centered on the page. At first, she thought that perhaps it was for Ren and Jenny's wedding. But further inspection made her shake her head in disbelief. Who the fuck prints formal invitations like this for a damn twenty-seventh birthday?

 _You are cordially invited_

 _to join us for a surprise birthday party_

 _for_

 _Mr. Hibiki Lates_

 _Our favorite Archive mage is turning Twenty-Seven_

 _September 14, X791_

 _7:00 P.M._

 _The Blue Pegasus Guild Hall_

 _Please R.S.V.P. within the week._

 _P.S. Miss Lucy, could you possibly talk my Parfumed Honey into attending with you? I've been banned from mailing her directly._

She had absolutely no words. The two things she did know was that one, she would not be attending. It had nothing to do with Hibiki in the least, and it would most likely sting that she wasn't there. But once she finally got up the courage to confront Eve, it would just be too incredibly awkward for a while. The second was that she would not be asking Erza to go. She could already hear the Requip mage screaming in her ears. Nope. That was a _Do Not Enter_ kind of situation. Slipping the card back into the envelope it had arrived in, she slid it across the bar. "Mira, could you be a doll and RSVP a no to Blue Pegasus for me? I'll be out on a mission."

"Sure," the Takeover mage smiled as she grabbed the envelope. She started to walk away but stopped and turned back. "Lucy, this is over a month away."

"I know," she blinked. "And I will be _out_ on a mission."

The woman stared at her in confusion for a moment until the light bulb finally came on. "Oh! Ok, gotcha," she chuckled. "I will do."

Lucy shook her head as she watched the white-haired woman walk off. She could practically smell the smoke coming from the woman's ears, knowing the gears in her head were going a million miles per minute. She wasn't known as the Demon Matchmaker for nothing. And there was no way in hell Lucy wanted to get caught up in that. She had enough problems on her own, knowing the woman was probably already plotting her marriage to Eve. All because he had to go flamboyant with the blossoms and cards. Looking at the mound of envelopes from the Snow mage, she knew she didn't have the stomach to go through them all. They'd all say the same thing. He loves her and wants to smother her with all of his overbearing affections. _Lucy, that's just mean._

"Nice swimsuit, Blondie."

 _And there's trouble number two._ Ignoring the urge to look up at the Lightning Dragon Slayer, she reached for an envelope and ripped it in two. She hoped the sound of paper tearing would distract her enough to disregard the goosebumps that rose on her skin at just the sound of his voice. "Laxus…"

"I like you almost naked and saying my name."

Her body shivered involuntarily, despite the almost oppressive July heat in the guildhall, with the whispered words in her ear. His warm breath feathered across her neck and her breath stalled in her throat as her tongue swiped at instantly parched lips. He'd leaned in close enough for her to feel the heat coming from his body, but just far enough to avoid direct contact. _Thank fucking god for small favors._ She really did not want to contemplate just what would happen if he touched her. "Fuck you," she mumbled, struggling to keep any evidence of his effect on her from tainting her voice.

"Already did," he chuckled softly in her ear. "Wanting round two?"

 _Yes, plea- NO! You do NOT want any part of him. Stupid trollop_. "Do you have a reason for annoying me, or are you just sowing your jackass oats?"

"Funny," Laxus smirked as he came around to take the seat next to her. "Did you miss me? Think about me while you were gone?"

Lucy gaped as she watched him reach across her to pick up a parcel from her stack. Without thought, she reached out and slapped it from his hands. "That's not yours," she grumbled as she took the card and quickly ripped it in two. "And n-no, I didn't."

He leaned over the bar to rest his cheek in his hand, a brow quirking upwards. "Uh huh…"

 _I really want to punch your face in._ "I didn't miss your ass," she said matter of factly as she gathered her pile. She really needed to get the hell out of there, before she completely lost the last few brain cells she had. He smelled too good, was a little too close and looked like the last piece of candy at a time she was plagued by the worst sweet tooth ever known to man. With his confident, smug ass self. _Like I'd admit to thinking about him, his head would explode from ego overload._ "And the most I might have thought about was perhaps taking Erza's hammer to your face."

"Well that's not very nice," he grinned.

She gave a shrug of her shoulders as she slid off of the barstool. "Neither are you, Jackass."

"Awww come on," he said with a less than convincing pout before giving her a playful wink. "I'm all kinds of nice.'

 _Oh yeah, real fucking nice. Douchebag._ "No, you're an Assholer Dick-jerk Fucker."

A flash of something appeared in his eyes as he licked at his lips, her eyes involuntarily dropping before she could stop herself. "I love it when you talk dirty," he teased.

" _Say it, Lucy. I want to hear you say exactly what it is you want."_

" _I-I want...I want you to, fuck...god!" She stammered. "Laxus p-please!"_

" _Not till you say it. I want to hear you admit you want me as bad as I want you."_

" _I-I want you to fuck me, Laxus. Sh-show me what a man's like."_

Lucy felt her cheeks heat and shifted uncomfortably in attempts to prevent herself from caving the sudden throb between her legs. Those were words that came back a little too often, haunting her and driving her to the brink of insanity. _It's all a game to his ass._ "Pig," she spat out before spinning on her heels and hurriedly making her way to the exit. She heard him laughing, even heard him call out for her. But that only made her pick up the pace.

* * *

Laxus stared at the door in front of him for a moment before turning away, muttering a string of curses under his breath as he made for the stairs. He had no clue why he was even there. So, he had a question to ask her. A pretty private ass question that he didn't exactly relish anyone in the guild overhearing. He had an office and there were tons of corners he could pull her off into just for that purpose. There was no real reason for him to have come clear across town, to the privacy of her home. Except for the fact that she'd pissed him off earlier.

Okay, so perhaps her running the hell out of the guild hall had been his fault. Teasing her was too much fun to resist. Although, he was teasing himself just as much in the process. He'd done extremely well in the time she was gone, despite the aggravating disappointment he'd felt when he'd overheard Cana saying that she went out with Gray and Natsu. Alone. Yeah, he knew they were gay, but she'd fucked at least one of them once. Not that it mattered who she fucked. He didn't care. He got his, so it was on to the next conquest. Or five, as there had been in the five days she was gone. But the moment he saw her sitting up at the bar, it all came rushing back in with a startling reality that made him question his own sanity.

He couldn't exactly place all the blame on his dick for that. She was sitting there in little next to nothing, that fucking body of hers on display for anyone and everyone to see. Even smudged with soot and looking a mess, she still looked good enough to eat. Or to be more concise, to fuck. In a blink, he was rock solid and practically panting at the images of bending her slim body over the top of the bar. Or spreading her out on the floor, or tabletop or on the steps of the stairs. His imagination wasn't picky. It ran through each scenario with vivid clarity, each one making him ache just a little more than he already was. _Seriously Dreyar? You need to really get a hold of yourself. We don't fuck anyone more than once, you know the rules. And she's the LAST one you need to be considering breaking that rule for._

It was that thought that carried him down the steps. Anything he had to say to her would just have to wait. He needed to go see what Bickslow was doing for the evening. He figured he could convince him to leave his woman at home and be his wingman for the night. It was a Friday night, so there was bound to be an entire slough of women out. All of them ripe for the picking. And if that didn't pan out, there was always the _Lollipop Lounge_. He'd heard from a couple of the dancers there that they'd just hired on a few new lookers. That was one of the perks of being the _infamous_ Laxus Dreyar. He never really had to go looking very far to find a willing woman for the night.

"Who are you and what the hell are ya doing in my apartment building?"

The scratchy voice stopped him in his tracks, and he looked up to find an old woman standing in his path with her hands laden with grocery bags. She smelled like mothballs and looked like she might be old enough to have partied on board the Ark with Noah despite her attire choices. He was pretty sure he'd seen Lucy in that same dress at some point, with its low cut neckline and seriously short hemline. Where the Celestial mage had made the dress, this old woman only made it look like a horrible fucking train wreck. "The name's Laxus and I was here to see Lucy Heartfilia," he frowned.

The old woman's eyes narrowed on him. "You're not that creeper that's been sending her all those cards and gifts are ya?"

"Uh, no ma'am," he snorted. Him being compared to that sniveling kid. _That's rich_. "I'm a member of Fairy Tail. I'm one of her guildmates."

The hag clicked her tongue in disapproval. "You aren't like those other destructive idiots that come to visit her, are you?"

"No, ma'am," he chuckled. "I'm definitely nothing like those other morons. My grandfather would kill me."

Her frown faltered, her eyes squinting even more behind her thick reading glasses. "You're Maki's grandson," she hummed before a surprisingly pleasant smile tugged at her lips. "Didn't see it at first, but you're definitely a Dreyar. How's the old fool doing?"

 _Old fool? I seriously don't even want to know how she knows Jiji._ Just the thought made him shudder. He'd heard enough stories of his grandfather's youth. While he definitely could rival the old man's reputation with the ladies, he seriously didn't want to go thinking about it. "He's doing good," he replied tightly. "Can I help you carry those in?"

"Aren't you such a good boy?" she cooed as she held out a hand full of bags to him. "I'd appreciate that and it's 'bout time someone decent came to visit that girl."

 _Decent? I wouldn't exactly say that, Old Bat._ He took the bags and followed her into her apartment with a Cheshire-like grin. What the old woman didn't know, definitely wouldn't hurt her. But it was one more thing he could tease the blonde about. "That's a shame," he smirked as he set the bags down on her kitchen table. "A pretty girl like her should have better taste, or be a little more selective about who she gets involved with."

"I've told her that a number of times," the old woman frowned. "You know, there are some bad men out there. Just wanting to get in a girl's undergarments and all that."

Laxus had to bite his lip to keep from laughing at the irony of the woman's words. He was definitely one of those _bad men_. He knew that, and fully accepted himself as is. "Ya don't say," he said, his inner demon cackling at the fact that she seemed completely oblivious to his condescending tone. "Can't have _our_ Lucy running around with boys like that."

"Absolutely not," the woman nodded as she pulled her wallet from her purse. His hand came up to stop her with a simple shake of his head, and she gave him an appreciative smile. "She's a good girl. I'm sure she'll be just fine with a nice young man like yourself to take care of her."

 _Oh, she's good alright, too good really._ "I'll be sure to do my best," he grinned. He wanted to take care of her alright, just definitely not the way the old bat intended. "But, I best be on my way up to her apartment. Number three, right?"

"Yes and thank you for your help," she smiled as she followed him to the door. "Oh! Since you're heading up there, would you mind bringing these to her? Darn mailman keeps mixing up our mail."

He stopped short in the doorway and turned just as she thrust a small stack of envelopes at him. The moment his fingers touched them, he was hit with the sickeningly sweet smell that turned his stomach. It was the same foul stench that had tainted her skin. And as it had been that morning, he felt the instantaneous spike of rage flare in his chest. He couldn't explain it and certainly didn't want to understand why it pissed him off so bad. He only knew that he wanted nothing more than to take the entire stack and burn it. There was no way he was handing this crap over to her. "I sure can," he said with a forced smile. "You have a pleasant evening, ma'am."

"Just call me Agnes," she called out with a wave. "And tell Lucy hello for me."

The moment she shut the door, his fake smile fell into a scowl. He glanced around the hallway, in search of a trash can. Spotting a silver hatch with a knob on the wall that had the word Waste written above it, he walked over and pulled the chute door open to slip every last piece of mail that carried the wretched smell into it. It didn't even occur to him that the act was petty, or could be seen as jealous. Because he certainly wasn't jealous, not of a boy. He was a man, all man. There was absolutely zero reasons for him to feel threatened in the slightest. _So what if he woos the fuck out of her, sweeps her off her damn feet. She was just a fuck. I got mine, so it's all good._

That thought had him questioning why he was climbing back up the stairs, yet again, to her apartment. He reasoned that it was simply because he was already there. He would just get the answers he came for and be done with this entire situation. It had nothing to do with the hard cock in his pants, or the unquenchable desire to touch her and make her give up any notion of falling prey to the toddler's amorous advances. Because he didn't care, in the least, and he was absolutely done with her.

He froze outside of her apartment door, his teeth worrying his bottom lip. _Ball the fuck up man, she was a good lay. Just get this shit over with and go find another piece of ass for the night._ Nodding his head at the internal pep talk, he raised his fist and knocked. At first, not a single sound came from the other side. He knew she was in there, her strawberry honey scent drifted through the cracks to provide the unwanted reminder of just how fucking good she smelled. He lifted his fist to knock again but paused when he heard a sigh of frustration followed by the sound of her footsteps.

"Erza, I told you I was-" her words died on a choke when she pulled the door open, her eyes going wide. "Ugh. It's just you."

His damn eyes grew a mind of their own as they drifted down the length of her standing there. Water dripped from her hair, soaking the thin pink robe that clung to her wet skin. He knew just what she looked like beneath, but even still he couldn't help but feel jealous of the material that clung to her curves and shielded her from view. The sound of her clearing her throat brought him back from the edge of death his mind was finding in her body. "Oh. Uh…" He cleared his own closing throat, trying in vain to clear his head. "I, uh… You got a second?"

Lucy clutched at the collar of her robe, her lips thinning with the indecision that flickered in her eyes before she gave a nod and stepped aside. "Not like I was enjoying my bath," she grumbled. "Make it quick."

Pushing aside the overwhelming desire to push her up against the wall behind her, he stepped into the small studio type apartment. It struck him that it was the first time he'd been there, but surprisingly it was just like he would imagine. Feminine, cozy. The living room had a comfortable looking suede couch parked in front of a small entertainment center that was home to a video game console and a blu-ray player, a flat screen lacrima television hung on the wall above it. A door off to the right led to what he figured to be her bathroom. The back of the apartment widened, a small kitchenette sat nestled in the back left corner. Glass fronted cabinets were frosted with small porcelain door pulls, coffee mugs in assorted muted shades of blue and green hung from hooks over the sink and pots hung from a rack that hung over the stovetop. A small two person table sat off to one side, place settings already down as though she was expecting company. Two wooden oriental screens divided the space between the right side and the left side of the room, her bed and a dresser just barely visible from where he stood. "Nice place," he muttered as he stepped towards the sitting area.

"Thanks," she replied softly as she shut the door. "So, what are you here for?"

He turned to find her eyeing him warily, her arms wrapped nervously around her own torso. His mouth went unexpectedly dry. "I... " He started but found himself falling short. _How the fuck do I say this without sounding like a complete dick?_ His thought left an odd taste in his mouth, one he didn't exactly relish the flavor of. He was a dick, so he didn't know why the hell it suddenly mattered. "A little after the fact here, but I'm really hoping you'll tell me we're cool."

She blinked, her lips moving long before anything came out of her mouth. "I… I'm sorry," she frowned with a shake of her head. "Cool? Cool as in…"

 _Ok so reason number one to run the fuck off, she makes you sound like a dumbass._ "Cool as in you are on some kind of birth control, right?"

All confusion left her face as her eyes hardened. "And if I said no I'm not?"

"Don't play around with that shit," he growled. The possibility that she was telling him the truth set a nervous tremble in the pit of his stomach. "Are you or aren't you?"

She glared at him for a few minutes too long before a disbelieving chuckle fell from her lips. "You're a real piece of work, Jackass," she scoffed. " _You_ chose to fuck me bareback and now you're worried? Unlike you, I think about that shit so… Yeah, I'm on birth control."

The fucked up part was that she was absolutely right, and that pissed him off. He was always safe. Hell, he usually had a damn condom in hand before his clothes ever came off. It still bothered him that with her, he'd so easily forgotten. It was just one more control item she stripped from him, and that was never a good thing. "I get it, I fucked up."

"Uh, ya think?"

His eyes narrowed at her condescending tone. "Don't go getting uppity, Blondie," he sneered. "I don't seem to recall you mentioning it either."

Her eyes glazed over for just a split second, the way they had back at the guild earlier as if she was recalling something forgotten. "P-point one for you," she said under her breath. "But, that brings us to another question. How clean are you?"

Laxus blinked at her, his mind tripping a few steps. Had she really just asked that? "Excuse me?"

"Please Laxus," she groaned. "It's no secret that you go sticking your dipstick wherever the hell you want, so the question needs to be asked. How. Clean. Are. You? When was the last time you had Mister Doctor shove a long ass q-tip down the geyser hole in your dick?"

He clenched his jaw to keep the damn thing from hitting the floor. He wanted to ask just how the hell she knew what the hell they did for a male STD exam. But anger kept him from doing so. He found that he really didn't want to know. "I get tested every six months," he growled. "The last was right before the damn games and I got a clean bill of health. What about you, Princess?"

"Same," she spit back. "And don't go getting pissed at me for asking, like I said. I don't know where your shit's been."

"Yours is the only place it's been without a damn wrapper," he quickly replied without thinking. He saw her eyes widen, and he suddenly wanted to punch himself in the face. That was a little tidbit of information that he certainly hadn't planned on sharing. It would only make her think she was special, and he was very adamant with himself that she was NOT special. In any way. Sure, she was fucking gorgeous. She was the poster child for every guy's wet dream, not that he knew anything about that. Because he didn't, that had just been a random accident in his sleep the other night. Or so he kept telling himself. No, special meant more. It meant a relationship and there was no way he was getting dragged down into that mess, least of all with her. "Ok then, that's settled so I'll see you around."

She nodded but stopped him just as he was reaching for the doorknob. "Question before you go?"

His fingers let go of the cool metal as he turned to look back at her. "Hmm?"

"Is everything to you a joke or a game?"

Her question stumped him, and his confusion was broadcasted by the pinching of his face. "What the fuck are you going on about now, Blondie?"

Lucy's head tilted as she seemed to study him for a moment before she gave a shrug of her shoulders. "I'm just trying to figure you out," she frowned. "You've got these moments, like at the games, where you come off as though you actually care about someone other than yourself. Yet, you seem to get your rocks off by pushing my buttons. So, is it all a game to you or do you actually have a fucking soul under that devil may care exterior?"

 _Oh shit, here we go._ "Does it really matter?"

She gave a roll of her eyes and shook her head. "No," she sighed. "I guess it doesn't."

That should have been his cue to leave. The said devil may care side was trying in earnest to drag his ass towards the door. All while screaming ' _Danger! Danger, Will Robinson.'_ Yet a nameless… something kept him rooted in place. "Why?" he curiously questioned. "Which one are ya hoping for?"

"N-neither!" she stammered. "I-it was just a question."

His eyes narrowed and before he knew what he was doing, his feet were carrying him towards her. "I don't know," he shrugged. "Something tells me you're really wanting to know, Blondie."

Anxiety flashed in her eyes as she started to back up, her hands shooting out in front of her as if to stop him. "N-no," she squeaked. "I-I don't but you s-stop right there, don't t-touch me."

His own steps faltered and he truly considered stopping, but he couldn't help himself. The deer-in-the-headlights look on her face was too endearing, her scent mixed with arousal was too intoxicating. It was suddenly the entire game all over again. She was the prey, pulling at the beast inside of him to give chase. The closer he got, the further she backed up. He didn't know if she was doing it on purpose or if it was just a subconscious thing as her steps shifted in her retreat, leading them both into the makeshift bedroom. "Why?" he challenged.

"B-because…" she stammered as she came to a stop, her legs meeting the edge of her bed.

Laxus stopped just a hair's breadth away. Just far enough to keep from touching but close enough to feel the heat radiating off of her body, to hear the pounding of her heart and see it just beneath the soft flesh of her throat. He could smell a hint of fear, but it laced with the candied scent of her arousal, the fresh picked strawberries drizzled in honey aroma that was all her. He couldn't understand why that affected him the way it did, but it wrapped around him like fingers to pull him into the world that was entirely her. "Because why, Blondie?" he smirked. "Does my touch repulse you? Make your skin crawl? Or does it make your knees weak? Just how wet are you, Lucy?"

Her breath rushed out, feathering over his skin as her tongue darted across the surface of her lips. "Please…" she whispered. "P-please just… don't."

His fingers itched to do just that, his entire body straining in its desire to give in. No matter how much he told himself that she was no more special than any other woman on the street, there was that part of him that knew better. A part that had already succumbed to that actuality. The fact that he was seriously swaying on the indecision to actually fuck her again was a testament to that. He didn't have to like it or give in, but the truth of the matter was that it was only her words that kept him from giving into throwing her down on the bed to do just that. His head dipped to meet her eyes, his lips close enough to feel the vibrations of her trembling. "Tell me why, Blondie, and I'll leave you be," he whispered huskily. "If that's really what you want."

"Ye-no-ye-fuck!" she croaked. "I… You… B-because I can't th-think when you do!"

His cocky grin and self-confident facade wavered, slipping for just a moment. That was exactly what her touch seemed to do him. Her touch was like that of fabled succubi, pulling him down to depths unknown where reality ceased to exist. But, it was confirmation that he wasn't alone in that. The feeling was completely mutual, and that little concession was fuel to an already blazing inferno. He tensed on the verge of giving in to pressing his lips to hers, just to be sure she still tasted as good as he remembered. "Who said we have to touch to play?" he provoked as he leaned in.

Just before his lips could meet hers, she jerked away too fast and lost her footing. A predatory grin pulled at his lips when she hit the bed with a grunt, her robe falling open just enough to tease and her legs splayed open invitingly. It was hard to resist, he had to pull at every ounce of self-control as he kneeled on the bed and slowly crawled up the length of her. The sight of damp skin peeking out from under the pink cotton robe just inches from the apex of her legs made him pause. His tongue swept hungrily over his lips, his nostrils flaring and his eyes rolling with the heady scent of her arousal. He wanted nothing more than to touch and sink into her but he made sure to avoid touching her as he came up to straddle himself over her, his knees and hands holding himself well above her small body.

"Laxus…"

The sound of his name on her lips was seriously like kryptonite, threatening to completely undo him. Her voice was breathy, sultry and thick with desire. But it was her eyes that was holding him captive. Already hazy from lust, she looked up at him wide-eyed. Doubt, confusion and desire swam in the deep chocolate orbs as she seemed to be on the verge of imploration. _Fuck me, I want her so damn bad._ "Touch yourself for me, Lucy," he growled as he leaned down to mingle his breath with hers. He couldn't touch her but he'd be damned if he wasn't going to get as close as he possibly could.

"Wh-what?" she gasped.

"You said I couldn't touch you, remember?" he grinned. "I'm just playing by your rules."

Her brows pulled down as she seemed to grasp what he was saying, her fingers nervously coming up to brush over her lips. "So you want me to t-touch myself? R-right now? With you… you… right there?"

The way she stumbled and stammered over her words and the blush that crept up on her smooth cheeks made him chuckle. He'd never admit it aloud, but it seemed to only add to her sex appeal. Maybe it was the control he had over her, or knowing she would cave to his request. He couldn't be sure, but fuck if it didn't make him ache for her all the more. "Yes, baby," he replied huskily. "Take those pretty little fingers of yours and touch yourself the way you want me to touch you."

He could see her tense, her fingers hesitating for what felt like an eternity before giving in to trail slowly downwards. Her trepidation was palpable, the scent of it carrying on the staccato breath that mingled with his own. His lips desired to follow the dainty fingertips that slid along the edge of pink material, touch pushing it further open to expose skin that haunted his dreams and waking thoughts. Impatience chewed at his insides and he forced it back down, not wanting to spoil the game before it truly even started. Again it was that need to push her to the edge, to make her want him the way he needed, to be consumed by the fire that burned in her eyes.

She pulled at the fabric, sliding the shield away to reveal the perfection of her breasts. Saliva filled his mouth, despite the lack of moisture in his lips as he watched her fingers play over the soft mounds. His fingers curled into the plush comforter beneath them in attempt to resist the urge to mimic the actions of her fingertips capturing the erect peaks. A whimper slipped from her lips, the sound crawling along his skin. "That's it, baby," he breathed. "Pinch… Harder, fuck. Just like that."

It amazed him just how quickly she warmed, how eager she became to follow his instructions. For all of the opposition that spilled from her lips before, she was like putty in his hands. It fed his growing addiction for her, hooking him with an ease that terrified and thrilled him. His arousal twitched in his pants as her body responded, her body's movements increasing with the volume of soft mewls and low moans that came with the gentle circles she drew down the trembling span of her stomach.

Needing to see all of her, he pushed up to kneel over her. His eyes followed the path her nails drew over her skin, her touch becoming more and more assured with every stroke. Goosebumps covered her flesh as she let her fingers roam. Her neck drew little sighs, her chest and breasts pulled delightful little moans, her stomach quivered with each gasp that fell from her lips. Soft laughter was barely contained as nails drew over her sides. He'd seen women pleasure themselves before, all in his name, but not one of them compared to her and she hadn't even reached the promised land.

Those coffee-colored doe eyes of hers never left his as she explored, nailing home the fact that she was doing this for him. Not the fantasy of him, or worse, the fantasy of someone else and she made sure to take her time. It robbed him of precious air and he found his own fingers moving of their own accord. He pulled his t-shirt over his head, tossing it to the side before his touch mimicked hers. Her touch was imprinted in his brain. And while entirely different than the calloused, rough feel of his own, his mind recalled what her hands felt like in vivid detail as he watched her fingers drag up the insides of her thighs.

"It's… it's not fair."

His brows drew down at her moaned words. "What's not?"

"Th-that you've…" Her breathy words paused as her fingertips trailed up the length of her slit, her bottom lip quivering. "That I-I'm the onl - Oh god, only one naked."

His teeth sank into his bottom lip as her hips lifted beneath him, pressing up into the finger she slipped between her nether lips. A groan crawled up his throat to chorus with her low moan of pleasure. _Mavis, she's fucking perfection…_ "Why… Why's that, Blondie?" he managed to choke out as his hand dropped to the throbbing ache in trapped inside loose joggers that seemed to have shrunk a few too many sizes.

"I… I want…"

An impish grin pulled at his lips when her voice trailed off and the flush on her cheeks deepened. His tongue swept over his lips, her eyes following before they dropped to the hand in his lap. He watched her pupils dilate as his fingers gripped his arousal through the material of his joggers and boxer briefs. Her fingers absentmindedly mimicked his hand's movement as he slowly stroked himself, her breathing hitching with a mewl as she strummed her own clit. "What… what do you want, baby?" he moaned.

"I w-want, fuck…" she whimpered. "I wa-want to see all of you."

 _Do you even realize how bad I wanna fuck you right now?_ A growl rumbled in his chest as he leaned back over her, balancing his weight between a hand and his knees as his other hand slipped below the waistband of his pants to free his aching member from its confines. "Maybe next time," he grunted as his fingers wrapped around his length. His reply caught in the back of his mind but the significance of it escaped him, drowned out by his need to hear her crying out. "Right now… right now I want you to slide those talented little fingers of yours inside that tight little pussy."

Her lips parted as if to say something, but the only thing that came out was the sweet sound of a hedonistic cry. Without thought, his forehead came to rest against hers as he looked down between their bodies. He didn't know if she was aware, but her hand moved in time to his as he stroked his length. It was the most erotic thing he'd ever seen. Her hips lifted from the bed, into her own thrusts, her body writhing beneath him. And the sounds. He was pretty sure he could reach his own end just on that alone. Her cries of pleasure, his name tumbling from her lips over and over again as if pleading for her life, the wet sounds of her fingers moving inside of her.

"Oh f-fuck… O-oh god…"

The fevered pitch of her voice set him on edge, tightening his grip on his own member and speeding his pace. Already he could feel the tensing in his gut, the dull, low humming buzz at the base of his spine starting to grow louder as it spread. "Don't stop, baby," he growled when his eyes met hers.

"F-fuck… F-fuck me, Laxus!"

Her words had him thrusting into his own palm. God, did he want to do just that. But he resisted with the sole knowledge that he had her on edge without laying a single finger on her. "I already am, Blondie," he growled. "It's not my hand wrapped around my cock, it's all you. That beautiful little cunt of yours and I really wanna feel you cum for me."

Her body bowed against the bed as her lips parted. Her brows pinched and her eyelids fluttered like hummingbird wings, cutting off the air in his throat as the sexiest, most unholy scream ripped from her throat.

"Laxus, I-I'm cu-ahhhh!"

The tension in his gut pulled to the point of teetering on the edge of breaking, her spasming body beneath him causing his balls to tighten with impending release. Without so much as a thought, he pushed himself up and gripped her hair to pull her up with him. The bed shifted beneath him as she scrambled to follow his lead. "Mouth," he growled as he pulled her to him. The pressure built and he could feel it racing up the length of his arousal. He felt her lips close around him just as his hips surged forward, a deafening roar exploding from his lips as the first wave hit him. Fireworks, the likes that turned the dark of night to day, denoted behind his tightly closed eyes. The sheer magnitude of it caught him off guard, wiping his mind clean of any intelligible thought. All he could do was cave to the waves as his hips thrusted into her warm, wet mouth over and over again until he was completely spent.

"Holy fucking hell," he exhaled roughly as he pulled himself from the heaven that was her oral cavity. "That was…"

She let out a choked laugh and he looked down to find her wiping at her eyes. "A something?"

"Oh, it was definitely something alright," he chuckled as he pulled her up to press her body against his. His body gave a small jerk as her thin, warm fingers closed around his semi-hard arousal. A playful grin pulled at her lips, and before he knew what he was doing, his head dipped. His lips sealed over hers, his tongue sweeping into the inviting warmth of her mouth. The thought struck as the salty flavor of himself hit his taste buds. He'd never once kissed a girl after popping off in her mouth. Ever. Just the thought of it had always repulsed him. But with her, not only was it not repulsive, a sense of pride swept over him. She smelled like him, tasted of him. _Ohhhh, you seriously need to run Dreyar._

His hand fell to hers, prying her fingers from around his length as he broke the kiss. He started to speak but his eyes dropped to an errant drop of cum that marred her cheek. "You missed some," he smirked as a finger came up to wipe at the mess. He thought to shove the digit into her mouth, but she surprised him. Her hand came up to grasp his, a devious glint flickering in her eyes as he watched her tongue pass between her lips to slowly clean the evidence of his orgasm away. "Fuck me," he whispers.

"Round two?" She giggled darkly.

" _Maybe next time…"_

Those had been his own words. They'd come from his mouth and even now, his body was considering it. _Next time? Round two?_ Pulling away, he adjusted his pants to hide the evidence of her effect on him. He'd already broken his own cardinal rule. She brought out a side of him that he wasn't familiar with, wasn't comfortable with. "Nah," he grumbled as he slid off of the bed. He glanced around and spotted his shirt laying on the floor. "I need to get going."

A sigh came from the bed and he looked back to find her head bowed as she pulled her robe closed. "Yeah," came a dejected whisper. "I've got a bath to finish anyway."

An odd sensation burned in his chest, and it startled him to realize it was remorse. The sadden tone of her voice pulled at him, making him want to just say ' _fuck it all'_ and stay. That really was not him. He never stayed, ever, and he'd been with some pretty good women. The fact that she was different, on a completely different level, shouldn't matter. At the end of the day, she was just a good time. He pulled his shirt on and turned for the door, but stopped despite the fear pushing him to run. "Sorry about interrupting," he mumbled over his shoulder. "I'll see ya later." Without waiting for a response, he quickly made his way to the door and broke into a run before he heard the door slam shut behind him.

* * *

 **Ok, time for polar bear swimming or at the very least a cold shower LOL! Laxus kind of took over the fingers on this one. He's a perv like that apparently *evil grin* But Natsu! Who'da thunk he could be so mature? That kind of took me by surprise, and I wrote it LOL.**

 **But, that should answer the questions about her on birth control. I had left it out intentionally on the others and can I just say… you guys friggin kick ass for catching it! I will admit, I may or may not have chuckled all evil like a few times on the reviews. I had it held for this chapter because the conversation needed to happen. Safe sex, STDs and birth control may not always be the easiest of topics to discuss… But if you're going to get into a physical relationship with someone, you need to get over the uncomfortable. Protect yourself :)**

 **Now I am off to work on Chapter 7 for you guys! It will be a few days late because like this one, it will most likely end up a rather large chapter. I apparently can't do small to save my soul but I doubt anyone is truly complaining hehe.**

 **As always, please remember to review, follow and fav! I can't tell you guys how much I'm enjoying hearing from you all on this story!**

 **Big hugs and much love,**

 **Princess Nana**


	8. Prey

**Hi everyone!**

 **I am SO sorry for the delay on this. It kind of fought me like a bish. But! It ended up being much longer than I had originally planned. Once LaLu got started… they… well… you'll see LOL!**

 **But! On to the reading!**

* * *

 **Chapter 7 - Prey**

Laxus tossed a few jewels on the bar before he took his stein and headed towards his usual spot. His eyes roamed over the hall, as they always did, but he met with a disappointment that he was still struggling to deal with. _She's not here… again._ He'd only seen Lucy for a total of five minutes in the guild hall, tops, since he'd left her place a week ago. Every day it was said she came in early, grabbed a quick mission and didn't return till late in the evening. He figured she was avoiding him. And while he told himself it didn't bother him or that it wasn't his concern, it bothered the fuck out of him. He wanted nothing more than to track her ass down, drag her back and make her talk. But that isn't what someone like him did, she was just supposed to be a notch in the belt.

Supposed to be. Every night he heard her voice in his sleep, could feel the touch of her fingers when he closed his eyes. He found himself looking for her every time he entered the guild, wondering what she was doing on nights he went out. It confused and infuriated him. _Fucking devil snatch… that's what she's got._ That had to be the explanation for it. He just knew she had her shit enchanted, pulling men to their deaths. It was the perfect elucidation for what had happened in her apartment. He'd never once masturbated for or with anyone else. It was always done in the privacy of his own home, if he did it at all. He always had a warm and willing body right there to satisfy the need. But there had been that pull, making him want her to watch him. Making him need to orgasm with her. Just the thought of that climax still made his toes tingle.

It was driving him completely insane. He didn't have time for attachments, didn't want or need them. It was the whole reason behind the _love 'em and leave 'em_ policy. It was for their safety really, and saved him the hassle of letting them down gently. But her? Lucy just had to be different. She was like the finest cocaine, the best pixie dust found in a syringe, the fabled green fairy in his shot glass. It was him wanting to seek her out. _What the fuck am I thinking?_

"You look troubled, Laxus. Something on your mind?"

Blinking his way out of his self-induced stupor, Laxus looked around before his eyes met the cerulean eyes of his best friend. "S'up Freed?" he mumbled as he walked around to take up his usual seat at their table.

The Rune mage pulled a ribbon from his book and laid it between the pages he'd been reading. "Just doing some light reading to pass the time."

Laxus glanced down at the three inch thick book in his friend's hands, a chuckle spilling out as he shook his head. That was Freed. He was the only person he knew that read books like _War and Peace, The Grapes of Wrath_ and _Atlas Shrugged_ for fun. "So, why are we passing time?"

"I am awaiting Levy's arrival. I agreed to assisting her with some text translations."

"Mhm," he nodded. "Sounds like an afternoon of fun."

Freed set his book down, his slender fingers playing with the page edges as he studied the Slayer. "I shall pose the question again, what has been on your mind as of late?"

"Not su-"

The Rune mage lifted a hand to stop him mid-sentence. "Are you truly going to play the oblivious subterfuge with me?"

Laxus' stein paused just moments from his lips as he side eyed the mage. It was the one downfall to the being as close as they were. Freed had a way of always knowing when something was off. But that street went both ways. "I could ask you the same thing."

"I do not know what you mean," Freed responded tightly.

He watched the man fidget with that magical cravat of his. It was a nervous habit. "Sure you do," Laxus smirked. "What's up with the looks on the train between you and Bickslow? Please don't tell me you're wanting the Slosh."

"What?" Freed scoffed. "Are you… Me and… Cana?"

Laxus had to bite his lip to keep from laughing at the green tint that spread from the Rune mage's hair onto his skin. He'd long since decided that it had nothing to do with the Card mage. The memory of his poor friend physically falling ill at the sight of a regular porn magazine was still imprinted in his brain. It was one of those things that could not be unseen. For as perfect as Freed liked to play at being a perfectionist, he became a crying, sobbing mess when it came to throwing up. "It was a joke, Man," he sighed. "That was a joke but guessing you and Bicks must've tied into it."

"No, it was…" Freed shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I was just incensed over the unremitting ridicule."

 _What the fuck are you hiding now?_ He could taste the lie on his friend's words as surely as he could still taste the ale that lingered on his tongue. It wasn't just the teasing, that was nothing new. He had no doubts that there was something else, but he couldn't press. If his teammates fought, he made it a point to keep out of it. They were adults and could handle their own drama. So, he was stuck with the only option. Play along. "Freed," he sighed. "I love ya, Man. Like my own damn brother. But you know you gotta stick up for yourself at some point, don't let them two or anyone else push your ass around."

"I know…"

He gave a nod of his head and opened his mouth to respond when the guild doors opened, carrying the scent of strawberries, honey and candy. The fires of sudden anger and fear ignited in the pit of his stomach as his head snapped up, his eyes seeking out the owner. A pleased smile rested on her lips as she strolled in, seemingly lost in conversation with the large black exceed beside her. Her honey blonde hair was down, much to his disappointment, falling in thick waves over her shoulders. The blue tank top she wore fit like a glove, molding to the generous curves of her breasts, small waist and flat stomach. The white tennis skirt she'd chosen fit over her hips, flaring out just below rise in her hips and ending just under her ass. His eyes traveled down the tan, toned length of her legs, his tongue sneaking out to moisten his lips. He knew how those legs felt wrapped around him.

 _What the fuck is… oh._

Movement in her arms drew his attention up. A strange little snowman thing with a waffle cone for a nose squirmed against her, a lollipop firmly grasped in each… _Paw?_ He'd never seen anything quite like it and he wasn't completely sure what to make of the oddity. But watching it alternate licking one sucker and then the other explained the candy scent he smelled. Suddenly the snowman paused mid-lick, its head turning and beady little black eyes locked with his. It blinked at him a couple of times, the head tilting to the side much the way a dog would. He couldn't exactly explain it, but he suddenly felt uncomfortable under the weight of the strange gaze and found himself mocking its movement. Until it let out what sounded like a growl. Curiosity went straight out the window, replaced by aggravation… and dare he admit, fear? _Great, she found herself a fucking demon. A real one…_

He quickly averted his gaze, but not before he caught the quirked brow she shot him. "Damn devil snatch. Goes out on a mission and comes back with a demon to go with it," he mumbled under his breath.

"Ah, I see now."

He looked across the table at the smug Rune mage. "See what?"

Freed glanced over his shoulder before turning back to blink, a stoic expression on his face. "She is what has been plaguing you."

"Whatever," he tsked with a dismissive wave of his hand. "She's just another guildmate."

"Mhm."

"What?" Laxus growled. "Don't give me that _mhm_ crap."

The Rune mage let out a heavy sigh. "It has already been established that you two have… engaged in coitus, correct?"

The Slayer blinked, his lips parting as his jaw dropped. _Did he just really…_ "Freed, please tell me you don't actually use that word with the people you fuck."

"What goes on between myself and a potential partner is highly irrelevant here."

"Not if you call fucking 'coitus'," Laxus chuckled in disbelief.

Freed gave a shrug of a slender shoulder. "Then call it whatever you wish. Coitus, making love, sexual intercourse…"

"Fucking."

"Fine, that word," the Rune mage conceded. "But you have been exceptionally irritable since we returned from Crocus and said act occurred. Well, more than normal, I would venture to admit."

He gave a roll of his eyes before they found their way back to the petite blonde up at the bar. He was irritated, annoyed, displeased, pissed the fuck off… Whatever word Freed wanted to call it. She was under his skin. And not in a comfortable way. He could easily turn away from anything or anyone, except her. It didn't make any sense to him. Sure, she was good. Ok, she was by far the best sex he'd ever had, and he'd had plenty good. Evergreen had nailed it, she wasn't his type though. If he didn't bring sex into the equation. In bed, she was exactly his type. But outside of it, she _was_ seemingly wholesome. A goody-goody and Mavis knew that wasn't him. She would be exactly like every other woman. She'd want to cuddle after sex, want the whole _hearts and rainbows_ bullshit he detested. She'd want a commitment…

" _I think you're wrong, Ever. Cosplayer's cool. I think she might even have the same allergy as the Boss Man…"_

Bickslow's words drifted back in, giving him reason to frown. He hadn't wanted to believe that possibility then and certainly wasn't buying into it now. She had trouble written all over her. A tight ass little body that men would kill to get a hold of, an absolute vixen when it came to sex (nails and all) and a mouth that was just as dirty as his own. It was a _too good to be true_ type of situation and he just knew the flaw would be catastrophic. She'd want his soul and he wasn't exactly willing to give that up. Not for her, not for anyone. He just needed to stick to his guns and turn the hell away, no matter how much he craved her.

"Have you considered the possibility that you may have just found the cure for your _allergy?_ "

Laxus blinked and glanced over at his friend. "Uh, no."

"It is possible," Freed shrugged. "The fact that you're still dwelling on her belies a different tune."

"Whatever…"

The Rune mage sighed and grabbed his book. "It would appear Levy has arrived," he stated as he rose from his chair. "But a small token of advice?"

He glared up at the man, reluctant to ask but found himself doing so anyway. "What would that be?"

"The fact that you cannot so easily dismiss her as you do your other conquests says that she is unique, that you are seeking something more." Freed paused and glanced over at the bar. "Do not close yourself off to all possibilities. Lucy _is_ different, so think differently with her."

Laxus watched his long time friend walk away, unsure of how to respond to that. He knew he'd regret the question for the answer, and he hadn't been far off. The selfish bastard in him regretted that the Rune mage knew him so well, could hit the nail on the head with deadly accuracy. And this time was no different. Lucy was an anomaly, he'd gotten that after kissing her. It had only been reinforced when they slept together.

" _The fact that you cannot so easily dismiss her as your do your other conquests says that she is unique…"_

He glanced over at the bar, his eyes locking with hers. Scarlet stained her cheeks as her tongue swept over her pouty lips, her pupils dilating just a fraction. Instantly he was hard and itching to get up just to get to her. His ears ached to hear the sultry tone in her voice, the sound of her heart pounding against her rib cage. He hated his body for responding. He hated the way she suddenly scurried out the front door even more, even if it did take the temptation to touch her away.

" _Do not close yourself off to all possibilities…"_

Possibilities? He wasn't entirely sure what that was supposed to mean. A growl of frustration slipped from his lips. It was a no-brainer. The only possibility, in his mind, was an all-exclusive relationship with her. And that shit just wasn't happening. There was no way he was going to tie himself down, no matter how good her _devil snatch_ was. Nope. He wouldn't even contemplate the possibility. _Unless..._

" _Yeah, she was out on a date with that one kid she was at the ball with but then she's sneaking out of Laxus' room the next day… Sounds like commitment issues one-o-one."_

" _Lucy is different, so think differently with her."_

He stared at the door for several minutes as his mind put all of the puzzle pieces together, each piece falling into perfect place. It was so perfect, he wondered why he had not considered it before. A surreptitious grin rose on his lips as he brought the stein to his lips. _That… It could work._ He had to believe that it could, it was too brilliant not to. Everything would hinge on her, but just Bickslow and Freed's words gave him the impression that it just might. Downing the last of his beer, he pushed away from the table and grabbed his coat before stalking towards the door.

* * *

Lucy dismissed Plue the moment she was clear of the guild hall doors. She hated to do it, but she needed time to herself. _And I'd been having such a good day!_ She'd taken her first level two job all on her own, without her team. Granted, she'd had Lily with her. She'd been grateful for his appearance in the guildhall when she'd chosen the particular job. It had seemed easy at first glance. A single thief had been robbing people just outside of a small village. With the spirits she had, she just knew she could do it. She'd helped close the Eclipse gate after all. But after signing the logbook, she'd noticed the small print on the back of the paper.

" _One mage missing, one critically injured. This is not for an entry level mage, experience is a must."_

It had forced her to the edge of doubt. Natsu had already gone out with Gray. Gajeel had been nowhere in sight. Levy and her team were heading out on a mission of their own and Erza had taken Wendy on a shopping trip. She'd been ready to throw in the towel and choose one of the lower level missions. But then fate had intervened when the guild doors had opened and Lily walked in. She knew what he was capable of and trusted him enough to know that should she get in a pickle, he'd have her back. He'd been an easy choice and he'd so generously agreed to accompany her. Of course, looking back on the job now, there had been no reason to fear. Those other two mages had to be dumber than a box of rocks to be wiped out by a single man who was only just learning to use fire magic and was little more than adept at pick pocketing. A single shot from Aquarius had subdued the man.

Lily didn't have to lift a finger and had praised her the entire way home. It gave her confidence. She could do this. She could get stronger and become the person she wanted to be. She could make the right decisions. But then she'd seen _him_. It was still a mystery as to why Plue had growled at him. He never growled at anyone so the sound had taken her by surprise. _That should be a big fat clue, Hooker._ The worst part was she knew it was. He was the devil, playing her like a fiddle. He pulled her into sin and then left her to pick herself up, just as he had the week before. Yet the moment she'd locked eyes with him, every single fucking village in her panties was inundated by flash flooding. Those sexy ass bedroom eyes of his the color of the eastern horizon when the sun was setting in the west. That beautiful, god like face of his with those fiendish lips. Her fingertips tingled at the memory of gripping those broad shoulders covered way too well by his violet button up shirt, her legs aching from the memory of those black, slack-covered hips between them.

Even now, as she made her way towards her home, she could feel the annoying evidence of her arousal. She fell prey to him entirely too easy, but she had no clue how to avoid it other than avoiding him. _And that's going just fabulous…_ He was there at every turn, her only reprieve was taking missions. But that would only last for so long. _If only he was fucking normal._ The thought made her laugh. It was because he wasn't normal that she was in that boat. The more she reminded herself of _who_ he was, _what_ he was about, the more she craved the darkness in him. He was the symbol of pain, heartbreak. His leaving so suddenly after they were done was proof of that. She'd been racked with sad disappointment when he'd all but run from her apartment. That disappointment would only morph later into more. Right now he wanted her, but next week it would be a different story. It was just how he worked.

Unclipping her keys from her pocket, she rounded the corner and froze. A string of curses slipped under her breath as she mentally punched herself in the face. Repeatedly. _Fuck. You. Karma._ She wasn't exactly ready to deal but much to her dismay, a blond male leaned against the face of her apartment building. Despite his face being turned away from her, she knew exactly who it was. She could smell the ice cream scent of him from where she stood, the wind being quite the bitch by carrying it right to her. _Eve…_ She'd been putting off the inevitable for weeks, unsure of just how to break it to him. His notes and missives doubling almost daily, each one more frantic than the last. It made her realize just how uncomfortable Gray had been all these years with Juvia. Like the Water mage, Eve's persistence bordered on insanity. _Well… guess this is as good a time as any._

"Eve?" she called out as she reluctantly made her way towards her building.

His posture stiffened and his head whipped around to stare wide eyed at her, a look of utter elation spreading over his features. "Lucy!" he shouted as he pushed off of the wall.

Lucy's eyes widened as he took off into a full run towards her, her body tensing in preparation for the impact. His arms went about her and she struggled not to gag on the sickeningly sweet smell of his cologne. Her decision to end things only solidified even more in her mind at the way she wanted to recoil from his touch. _How… how in the hell did I even manage to get through having sex with him?_ "I, uh… I…" She fought for words to say as she pulled back from the uncomfortable embrace. "I didn't expect to see you here…"

The Snow mage's cheeks flushed pink as he gave her an embarrassed smile. "I-I'm so sorry, that was…" He paused to take a deep breath as though his nerves needed to be quelled. "I was worried when I didn't hear anything back from you."

 _Most people would take that as a clue, you creepy little fucker._ She winced at the direction her mind immediately went. She almost sounded like the Asshole that was the Lightning Dragon Slayer. She forced herself to shut the lid on her sarcasm and gave a compulsory smile. "I've been so busy since we got back," she said. It wasn't exactly a lie, she had been busy. "The city threw a parade for us and we had a celebration for the new guild hall. The-"

"A new guild hall?"

She gritted her teeth to keep from snapping at him for his apparent lack of manners. She was trying to give him her excuse and he just had to drag it out by cutting her off. "Yes," she replied tightly. "Apparently the Mayor was so happy about us winning that he gave us a new one given our old one had basically been overrun and lost due to lack of funds while we were on Tenrou."

Eve's blond brows shot up to his hairline, exaggerating his boyish features. "Wow, that's amazing."

"Yeah…" she sighed. "And then I had to take a couple of missions to pay rent and all."

"I completely understand," he smiled as he reached for her hand. "I am just glad you're okay."

Lucy hated to come off so cold, but there was no escaping it. Not one sugary word he could say (that he hadn't already said) could sway her pulse into even a skip. It was just nothingness that settled inside of her at his touch, his smile. His presence. _Just get this over with…_ "So… Um…"

"Hey Lucy! Looking good today as always!"

The shouts that came from the river reminded her that this probably wasn't the best place to go breaking the kid's heart. She gave a quick wave to the men on the barge before glancing at her apartment door. "Would you like to come in?"

His nod of acceptance came too quickly, and she hesitated a moment before moving for the door and stepping in to allow him entrance into the building. She turned for the stairs and found her landlady just coming from her apartment. _Please don't let her have more mail…_ She really didn't want to have to read through more love letters at this point. But luck was on her side when the grouchy old woman just shot her an odd look as she passed with the Snow mage. It wasn't a new thing, the woman gave her strange looks all the time. She was most likely wanting to be nosey and question who was with her. A quick climb up carried her to the solitude of her apartment and she quietly opened the door to let him in.

"Your apartment is very cozy, so cute."

She dropped her bag near the door and kicked her shoes off out of habit. "Thanks," she replied autonomously as she moved for the kitchen. "Water? Tea?"

"Yes, water please." Came the reply from the living room area and she gave a sigh of relief when she realized he hadn't followed her. Having him in such a secluded setting was not exactly ideal, but it couldn't be helped. What she had to say did not need an audience out of respect for Eve. She had ultimately planned on delivering the news via a lacrima call. It was more personal than a letter but not as uncomfortable as an actual face to face chat. With him there, she couldn't disconnect the call if he cried or worse. _Oh god… What if he begs?_ Her mind tried to recall exactly what she'd already written out, but everything in her head jumbled under the stress. Grabbing two bottles of water from the fridge, she made her way back to find him sitting on her couch.

"Thank you," Eve smiled as he accepted the bottle of water.

Lucy made her way to the opposite end of her couch, suddenly wishing she'd gone with something larger. Like a sectional. _I'm just gonna sit way down here. As close to the arm rest as I can get. I swear, if he reaches over for me… Shit. I don't have a knife handy. Seriously Lucy? It's not like he's going to jump on you and rape your ass. Now Laxus… Yeah, I'd like him to-WHAT? Ok, head back in the game here._ She nervously pushed a lock of hair behind her ear as she glanced over at the equally nervous looking mage out of the corner of her eye. She could do this. She just needed to lay it out there, as nice as she possibly could.

"I was hope-"

"I wanted to ta-"

Eve let out an uneasy chuckle when they both spoke at once. "Could… Could I possibly go first?"

Her lips pulled down into a frown. She wanted to immediately deny his request, but that wasn't who she was. She wasn't trying to destroy the kid. What she had to say would hurt him enough so letting him speak first was the least she could do. _You're so gonna regret this…_ "Yeah, go ahead," she responded softly.

"Lucy, I know we haven't had a whole lot of time together. But I do know I like you a lot," he started with a noticeable quiver to his voice. "No… That's not right because it's more than like. I admire your strength and determination. You're such a good person, So generous and kind. Your heart is so pure."

"Eve," she practically groaned. "It really isn't. I'm not as good a person as you think."

The Snow mage gave her a presumptuous smile. "Don't be bashful, my dear Lucy. You don't have to be modest with me. I saw it the first time we all fought together, and while I didn't have a shot back then, I was so upset thinking that Hibiki might steal you away."

Lucy winced at the mention of the Archive mage. _That had been a fail._ "Well. He did for a while."

"I know, but I knew it wouldn't last. He couldn't stay faithful."

"About that…"

Eve raised a hand to stop her. "Lucy, I love you and this may be too forward, but I want to be with you. I want to show you what it's like to be loved, show you just how beautiful and cherished you are. You deserve so much, the world. I know your feelings are not where mine are, but please give me a chance. See me as a man."

She blinked at the words. _A man?_ She'd tried that route and had failed, conceding that everyone was right. He was just a boy still. Her lips parted to respond but her words were halted by an unexpected source.

"Sorry bud, but she's already taken."

 _Well, there's that rusty spiked dildo. Right in my ass. Where's the fucking salt?_ Her eyes closed as the weight of an already fucked up situation that just got a whole lot more fucked up settled on her. "Laxus…"

"How dare you just walk into her home!" Eve bellowed, the couch shifting as he jumped to his feet.

"How dare me, you creepy little man-child?" Laxus scoffed. "This is my fucking girlfriend's apartment so it looks like the one trespassing here is you."

If Lucy could have facepalmed with a freight train, she would have at that very moment. _I'm dead. I'm so fucking dead._ She slowly pushed up from the couch and turned to glare at the Dragon Slayer. His storm blue eyes were trained on the young mage behind her, a possessive gleam she'd never seen lighting their depths. The muscle in his jaw clenched repeatedly beneath the surface of his skin and it took her aback. Smug, condescending, amused. She had expected a combination of any of those expressions, but never anger.

"Wh-what? Lu… Lucy. Is… Is that true?"

She could already hear the pain in the Snow mage's voice, her shoulders sagging beneath the gravity of the situation. This was not how it was supposed to be, how it was supposed to go. She'd planned on letting him down gently, the way he deserved. Reluctantly, she turned and her breath caught by the sight that greeted her. Large tears slipped down his cheeks, his jade eyes glassy with the promise of more. Hurt, betrayal, despairing heartbreak. They all swam in the mossy depths. "I… uh… I…" Words utterly failed her because there was nothing she could say to make this better.

He harshly wiped at his face as he glanced around, his attention catching in the direction of her kitchen. "I see," he whispered before he turned back. "I… I'm sorry for the confusion."

 _Oh god… I didn't take out the trash._ She saw the flower stems sticking out of the refuse can. "Eve," she whimpered as she reached for his arm when he moved to pass her. "I… I'm so-"

Eve jerked away from her touch. "Please don't," he scowled. "I… I should have known better. I'm just a kid, after all."

Lucy started to give chase but the door slamming halted her steps, her stomach and heart flinching with the finality of the sound. She felt lower than low. _I should've responded sooner. I should've told him upfront. I should've…_ The sound of a soft chuckle paused her thoughts and she looked up to find the Lightning Dragon Slayer leaning against the wall, looking incredibly pleased with himself. "Laxus," she scowled. This was all his doing. Him and his _girlfriend_ crap.

"What?" Laxus gasped, feigning innocence. "I just solved your problem for you."

 _Solved it? Giant fucking flaming asshole from hell!_ "No!" she roared. "You just broke that kid's heart!"

The blond Slayer pushed up off of the wall he was leaning on and made his way to the kitchen. "Yeah, which is exactly what the fuck you were going to do," he called over his shoulder. "I just did it the more humane way. Rip that shit off like a band-aid and be done with it."

"There was nothing _humane_ about what you did!" Disbelief mixed with her anger as she watched the Slayer grab a water from her fridge, just making himself comfortable as though he belonged there. He didn't belong there. At all. He was the very reason she was in this mess to begin with. Unable to stop herself, she stomped towards him and ripped the bottle out of his hand with a growl just as it reached his lips. "Why the hell are you even here?"

"I was passing by and smelled the runt," he shrugged as he snatched the bottle back from her grasp. A hand shot out to rest on her forehead, holding her back as he took a swallow of water. "Figured you might need a hand."

She swatted at his hand, stumbling back with a frustrated growl. "I didn't, thank you very much."

"Yeah, okay."

Lucy went to argue but stopped herself short, knowing it was utterly useless. He was an obstinate pig who seemed to not even realize what he'd done wrong. And she just didn't have the heart to school his ass at the moment. She just wanted to take a shower and crawl under the covers for the next week or so. She just knew that Eve's heartbreak would spread like wildfire. Hibiki would call or come see her. Ichiya would most likely find a way to scare the crap out of her by popping out of a toilet or something stupid. He had when her and Hibiki had ended, a perfectly good clothes hamper was destroyed because of it. Then the guild… _God, I don't even want to think about what the hell I'll hear from them._ "Could you just go?" she sighed. "I'm not feeling very well."

"Kiss me and I will," Laxus smirked.

Her eyes narrowed as her head snapped up. He walked into her apartment, ripped out a friend's heart (even if she was planning on doing it herself) and he expected her to just kiss his ass. _He can go take a flying fucking leap._ "No," she groaned as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Laxus took another sip from his water bottle and reclined back to lean on the counter. "Then I guess I'm staying."

Her fingers curled into her fists as she glared daggers across the kitchen. "The hell you are," she growled as she raised a stiff arm, a solitary finger uncurling to point at the door. "Get. Out."

"Make me," he grinned, a predatory gleam flashing in his eyes.

"GRRR! God you're so infuriating!" she screamed as she stomped her foot. She wanted nothing more than to punch him in the face. But touching him was out of the question, she knew just how it affected her. "Please. Just leave."

He finished off the last of his water, taking his time as he screwed the top on the bottle. "I will," he smirked. "I'm only asking for one small kiss."

Lucy stared at him, weighing her options. If punching him was out of the question to avoid touching him, then kissing was a huge fucking no no. She knew better. There was no such thing as a small kiss with him. He'd turn it into more. She glanced back towards the bathroom door. The option to just ignore his ass and go on about her business was on the table. But, she wanted solitude in her apartment. Ignoring him wasn't an option, he wouldn't allow himself to be ignored. "God… Fine."

Timorously, she made her way towards him to close the distance. His eyes watched her a little too keenly, the smile that spread on his wide mouth a little too lecherous. Her mind screamed just how fucking stupid this idea was. _Don't get too close, just a kiss on the cheek and toss his ass out._ "Just a damn kiss and you're out. Right?" she hesitantly asks as she came to a stop just inside of arms reach. It was as close as she dared.

"Mhm," he hummed a little too happily.

 _Fucking Lucifer…_ Leaning up precariously, she lightly brushed her lips against his cheek and quickly pulled back. "There," she breathed. "Now you can leave."

"I don't think so, Baby," he frowned.

His arms shot out, his hands pulling her against him before she knew what was happening. And just as fast, his lips crashed down against hers. Her breath escaped her and her mind was on the verge of spiraling when his tongue trumped the opportunity her gasp-parted lips provided. _No… Oh god, ye-NO!_ Her knees wanted to buckle, a fire blazing to life between her legs. She hated his touch as much as she craved it. Her hands came up to press against his chest as she wrenched herself away from the intoxicating suffocation of his embrace. "I hate you," she spat as her hand came up without thought to connect with his cheek.

"Oh, you wanna play rough?"

The look in his eyes stalled the breath in her throat, a shiver running the length of her spine. Before she could respond, not that she had one, his hand buried roughly in her hair. The world around her spun when he turned her abruptly to bend her over her small dining table. Fight or flight kicked in when her cheek met the cool surface. Her hands pushed at the table top, trying to push herself up to no avail. His steel-like grip kept her pinned as a foot kicked at the inside of hers, spreading her legs. The sensical part of her brain bellowed the fear she should be feeling, but her body betrayed it. Betrayed her. A throaty moan escaped despite herself when fingers pressed against her pantied core.

"You forget, Baby. I can taste your lie as well as I can smell just how turned on you are."

The sibilant voice in her ear gave momentum to the downward spiral she found herself on, adding to the moisture between her thighs. Her fingers wrapped around the edges of the table, a cry slipping from between her lips when her head was yanked to the side. There was no gentleness to be had, no teasing, just lust driven by insanity when teeth scraped against the sensitive flesh of her neck. She did hate him, he was wrong. But more than the hatred, she wanted him and he knew it. Fingers dug into the most delicate parts of her, lips sucked at the pulse in her throat and her body gave into the writhing torture. "You're such a fucking asshole," she growled.

"Damn straight," he rasped as his teeth nipped at the shell of her ear. "But I'm the asshole that sets you on fire."

The fingers in her hair tightened before her head was pulled back, bowing her body against the table as his fingers slipped beneath the small strip of fabric that shielded her. She cried out in pleasure and pain as his rough, calloused touch swept angrily over her weeping core. "Fu-fuck you," she stammered and his initial reply came with only the sound of a dark chuckle. No preparation, no easing her into it. Two fingers speared into her, her body clenching at the sudden intrusion and she knew. He was right. He did set her on fire, and in a way no one else ever had. The weight of him bent over her, the evidence of his arousal pressing into her leg, the sound of him growling against her shoulder as he raked his teeth against her. His inner dark spoke to hers, enticing an animalistic side she didn't realize she had to come out and play.

"Didn't I tell you I love it when you talk dirty?"

His fingers stilled within her, holding her there on the precipice of the unknown before completely withdrawing. Her body forced the whimper of discontent that sounded in the otherwise quiet room at the sudden loss. She tried desperately to push back against him, but that too was in vain as he held her fast in place.

"Fuck, you smell so damn good," he rasped. "Good enough to eat."

His words and the feather-like touch that ghosted over the soaked material between her legs made her core clench. "D-didn't your mother tell you it's not nice to play with your food?"

A deep chuckle vibrated against her, his hot breath tickling her cheek as he pulled her head back. "Darlin', I'm not playing," he said teasingly. "I'm simply marinating the main course."

A squeal of surprise burst out when a tug tightened her panties around her hips, the sound of fabric ripping echoing in the kitchen. A shiver raced up the length of her spine, but she wasn't sure if it was anticipation, trepidation or the cool air hitting her newly exposed slick folds. The grip on her hair disappeared as his hand smoothed down her back, his warmth against her vanishing when he pulled away. Breathlessly, she waited for the sound of a zipper or the touch of his hand but moments passed and her fogged brain registered confusion. "Wh-what are you doing?" she asked as she lifted her head to look back over her shoulder.

"Saying grace," he winked. "And admiring the view."

The way his tongue swept over his lips had her biting at her bottom lip. Those gorgeous, soul stealing eyes of his darkened in lust, a lecherous grin pulling at the corners of his kissable lips. He looked every part the ravenous beast and she was the first meal he'd had in months. _Fuck me, he's perfect._

His hands came to rest on her back side, his palms smoothing over her heated skin. Her breath stalled in anticipation as he lowered himself behind her, disappearing from view. She knew what was to come, yet it still did not prepare her for the jolt when his tepid breath feathered over her moist flesh. Softly, his hands slid over her hips and down the length of her legs. It was such a change in pace from his rough treatment just minutes before that her mind struggled to grasp. Her nerve endings were just as confused, overloaded by the soft wisps of air he blew against her and his fingertips lightly crawling up the inside of her thighs.

"God, baby," he groaned so softly that she barely heard him. "You've got no fucking clue how bad I've wanted to taste you."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

A low growl came from behind her as his hands slid up to dig into her ass cheeks, spreading her and lifting until she was on the tips of her toes. She whimpered as his stuttered breath feathered over her skin just before his tongue swept over her hypersensitive core. "Mmm, even better than I imagined."

Torturously slow, his flattened tongue swept over her again and again. Her outer labia, the soft spot where her legs and core connected, the insides of her thighs. His teeth and lips nipped and sucked at her flesh, pulling mewls and moans of pleasure from deep within her until she was panting. More. She wanted more. When she tried to push back into him, his fingers dug painfully into flesh to keep her grounded. She was left with nothing but the ability to writhe and tremble in her exposed position. "La-Laxus… P-please…"

"Please what, baby? Go on, tell me what you want."

His tongue lightly flickered up the length of her slit. "M-more," she panted. "T-touch me or fuck m-me, I d-don't care which."

"I love it when you're demanding."

Without further delay, his tongue pressed against her slit to slide along her most sensitive parts. Like a cat at a milk bowl, he lapped at her over and over again. From the sensitive bundle of nerves to her opening, there was not a place he didn't touch. Every nerve ending in her body began firing off, lighting her inner world up like a Christmas tree. And just when she thought she might go insane, he changed. His lips closed around her throbbing, oversensitive clit, sucking and nipping at her with those sharp teeth of his. The heady combination of gentle and rough only served to push her higher, tightening the coil within her. "F-Fuck yes, Laxus," she moaned. "J-just like that."

His hum of approval had her straining on her tiptoes, trying to press more of herself into his mouth. And still he held her in place. _He really is the fucking devil…_

As though he could hear her thoughts, his lips released her and his mouth retreated. She could feel the weight of his gaze, could feel herself trembling under it. She knew what he wanted. He was waiting for her to beg for more but she wouldn't allow herself to do it, forcing herself to restrain her desire. Seconds ticked by and she began to waver, her will power starting to lose its grasp. Her lips parted to utter a plea but the only thing that came out was a throaty cry of pleasure as his tongue speared into her.

Over and over again, his tongue plunged into her. First it was slow and steady, shallow as though he planned to tease her. But then his pace increased, that glorious pink appendage curling and twisting inside of her with amazing accuracy. His grip on her relented as his fingers slipped to her thigh, lifting her leg and hooking it over the table's corner to spread her further. His tongue inside of her, a finger pressing against her clit, he seemed to work in tandem. The volume of the moans and cries that left her lips increased which only made him moan against her more. The vibrations shooting her dangerously close to the edge.

"Oh… Oh god… Lax… Laxus!"

"That's it, Lucy," he growled against her. "Cum for me. Cum on my tongue so I can taste all of you."

His demand left her teetering, the filthy way he spoke to her only setting her up for the fall. And she would not have to wait long. His tongue slipped back inside of her, pressing against her already fluttering walls. But his fingers. Her jaw dropped as her entire body tensed as a finger slid inside of her to join his tongue, his palm flattening against her sex. The new sensation was more than she could take. The scream that had caught in her throat unlodged itself, bursting from her lips as the waves of her orgasm crashed against her.

Her fingers tightened on the table as every muscle in her body locked up for what seemed like an eternity before the damn broke earth shattering tremors rocked her. The world around her ceased to exist. The surface beneath her was no longer cold. The air in the room lost the chill it once had, feeling thick and heavy in her lungs despite the sudden weightless sensation. Slowly his finger withdrew and his tongue gently lapped against her to bring her back down from her tumultuous high. "Ho… Holy hell…" she panted dreamily when she felt him withdraw.

"We haven't quite reached hell just yet," Laxus smirked as he pulled her up from the table. "We're still on the elevator."

Lucy giggled breathlessly as her knees threatened to buckle, her legs reduced to sticks of jello. "So like the Fall Out Boys, we're going down?" she chuckled against his lips as he brushed them against hers. She could taste herself mixed with the whiskey, raindrop flavor that was him.

"Fall Out Boys?"

She laughed at the questioning look on his face. "I'll have to introduce you to them at a later date," she grinned before her tongue slid out to lick at the moisture on his chin. She hummed at the taste of herself, her fingers fluttering down the front of his shirt. "But I'm thinking I want a proper introduction to something else for now." She saw him smirk, his lips parting to speak but the only sound that came out was a guttural moan as her hand found the length of his arousal outlined by his slacks.

"You… You've met him before."

Her eyes narrowed as the corners of her mouth turned up with her devious thoughts. "Having it forced down my throat doesn't really count," she teased before sliding herself down the length of his body to kneel on the floor in front of him. Looking up, she was hit with just how much he towered over her. His size was noticeable before but from the floor, he truly was a Greek Adonis. _Definitely all man…_

Her eyes dropped to his groin, her tongue reflexively snaking out to moisten her suddenly parched lips. She'd seen him naked before, knew just what lay under the fabric. She knew it was no illusion, he truly was just that big and her mouth watered at the prospect of getting to explore. Glancing back up at him, she found him watching her with keen interest. She smoothed her hand up the length of him, smirking when he twitched beneath her touch. _Oh this could be fun._

Keeping her eyes trained up at him, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against the fabric where she knew the base was. His nostrils flared and even from where she was, she could hear his teeth grinding. "What's the matter?" she said teasingly before dragging her tongue up the length of him. "Don't like the fair play?"

"You're a fucking cock te - Ho-Holy shit."

She giggled when a heavy hand came to rest on her head when her teeth raked against his fabric restrained erection. Hearing him moan sent a thrill down the length of her spine to settle between her legs. Wanting to hear more, but not quite ready to give into his desire for more, she tilted her head and nipped her way down the length of him. His fingers tightened in her hair and his eyelids drew down in weighted lust. She'd come to thoroughly enjoy that look on him, it always preluded the unleashing of his more animalistic side. The side where he lost control and gave her exactly what she wanted.

Her fingers found the buckle of his belt and deftly unthreaded it before moving on to the button of his pants as she continued to tease him. His fingers in her hair became insistent, but she resisted the urge to hurry herself. Rather than pull at his zipper, her fingers pulled at his shirt to untuck it so that they could find their way under the hem. Her nails raked lightly across his stomach as her lips traveled up the covered length of him, pausing for just a moment to flick her tongue over the metal zipper.

"You look really good down there."

She grinned and moved to press her lips just above the waistband of his black boxer briefs. "I know."

His eyes gave a roll as his stomach trembled under the tutelage of her tongue. "You'd look even b-better with… With s-something in your mouth."

Her fingers dipped beneath the waistband and pulled it down just enough to expose the defined V-shaped lower ab muscles. "Oh, ya think?" she giggled as she nipped at the newly exposed flesh. "Is that what you want? Your cock in my mouth?"

"Fu-fuck!" he growled when her teeth bit down just enough to pinch. "Y-you fucking… God! You know it is."

A dark chuckle bubbled up, her brazen tongue taking her by surprise. "Then tell me, Laxus," she smirked as she slowly pulled at the zipper to slide it down. "I want to hear you say it."

His gaze heated, his breath becoming ragged with his need as her lips blew against the damp spot at the tip of his confined arousal. His hips bucked a little as his teeth scraped against his bottom lip. "Sh-shit, Lucy," he growled. "I-I want… I wanna feel th-that dirty little m-mouth of yours wrapped around my c-cock!"

 _Fuck me, but when he talks like that…_ A pleased smile settled on her lips and a hum of approval vibrated her lips against him as she hooked her fingers into his pants and pulled them down to expose his ass. The front caught on his erection and she purposely hesitated to free him, her eyes darting up to lock with his.

"Baby…" he warned.

"Well, since you asked so nicely," she cooed as her fingers freed him from his prison, the full length of him springing free. Her core clenched and her tongue swept over her lips as she fully took the sight of him in. Just like the rest of his body, it was sheer perfection. Long and thick enough that her fingers didn't touch when she grasped him, with just a slight curve up towards his body. Two prominent veins wound up the length, disappearing just before they reached the swollen, velvety flared head. "Beautiful," she whispered as she leaned in to capture the small bead of clear fluid that rested at the tip. He shuddered beneath her touch, the length of him jumping against her tongue.

"More…"

She looked up to find him trembling, his desire threatening to swallow him whole. "More?"

"Y-yes, Baby. Pl-please," he stammered as his fingers tightened in her hair.

His pleading sent a shiver of delight down her spine, spurring her into action. A moan bubbled up despite herself as she sank her mouth down the length of him, resting only when he hit the back of her mouth. The fact that she still had a good inch and a half left to go both terrified and thrilled her with the promise of a challenge, but the throaty moan that set free from his lips set the tingle between her spread knees.

"Fuck me, I love your goddamn mouth."

His reaction spurred her on and unable to hold herself back any longer, she pulled her lips back until just the tip remained. Her tongue swirled over the tip, pulling more delicious groans from deep within his chest. _The feeling's completely mutual, you sexy fucking asshole…_ One hand planted firmly on his hips, her other grasping the base of his arousal, she began a steady pace with her mouth. The weight of him felt heavenly on her tongue, the taste and scent of him turning her on in ways she didn't think possible. Her lips and tongue memorized every single inch of him as she licked and sucked at his length.

His hips bucked against her, her name tumbling from his lips over and over again like reverent devotion or an incantation. Looking up at his face, she found herself in awe of his beauty. His eyes closed, his usual stone set features softened yet contorted in pleasure. And still she wanted more. Pushing herself down as far as she could go, tears filled her eyes as the urge to gag rose up. A gasp came from above, giving her the willpower to swallow it down and relax her jaw. She knew it would be a stretch, he was so much larger than anyone she'd ever been with. But this was her one chance to truly flip his world into chaos the way he'd topsy-turvied hers.

Chancing a quick glance up at him, his eyes widened when realization hit just what she intended and her eyes smiled up at him. Exhaling through her nose, she pushed herself further, feeling her throat expand as he finally slipped inside. _Holy… Fuck…_ Her nose buried in the trimmed patch of blond curls that nestled at the base and her fingers dug into his hips, the ache in her jaw almost to the point of being unbearable. Her lungs burned and her throat spasmed with the need to breath.

"Ho… Fu… God, Lucy," he growled as his fingers tightened in her hair.

Lucy didn't fight him when he pulled her back and gasped to pull much needed oxygen in. She didn't care that a string of saliva still connected her lips to the tip of his arousal. She was just proud that she'd been able to take it all. "What?" she gasped innocently. "Didn't like it?"

He bent to hook his hands under her arms and pulled her up to her feet. "Like?" he scoffed. "That's putting it _really_ fucking mild."

A shriek of laughter belted from her lips when he lifted her up, her arms finding their way around his neck as her legs wound around his waist. Her head dipped, her lips trailing along his prominent jaw line to the fleshy lobe of his ear. "I don't know," she chuckled softly as her tongue danced along the shell's edge. "I think I needed more time to fully convince you."

His fingers dug into the fleshy cheeks of her ass as he precariously carried her towards her bed. "Uh, no."

"But why not?" she softly moaned against his ear, the tip of his arousal brushing against her just lightly enough to tease.

"Because I don't fucking plan on finishing in your mouth today."

They came to a stop and she wanted to pout when he dislodged her legs, her feet coming to rest on the soft, plush duvet on her bed. Pulling away, she stepped back to find him already working at the buttons on his shirt and her fingers grabbed the hem of her own. "Shame, I was really looking forward to tasting you directly from the source," she teased as she pulled her tank top over her head and tossed it to move on to her skirt.

"Maybe next time," he smirked as he let his shirt drop to the floor before kicking off his shoes. "Although, you do realize you give better head than the best trained whores. Right?"

Removing her bra and tossing it over with the rest of her discarded clothing, Lucy grinned when she found him pulling a small foil packet from his pocket before he dropped his pants. Licking her lips, she moved to stand on the edge of the bed and reached out to pull him closer. "I'll take that as a compliment," she winked. "But for now, why don't you stop being a slow ass pussy and fuck me like one?"

His jaw went slack, shock flashing across his face before a truly deviant grin spread. "Challenge accepted, Blondie."

Before she could even register that he moved, a hand wrapped around her ankle and pulled her legs from under her. She hit the bed with a shriek but her laughter was stolen when he was over her in a flash of light, his lips capturing hers. Her hands found the perfectly sculpted chest and explored the contours, her fingers mapping every inch of skin she could touch. Chest, arms, back, his thick corded neck, her mind easily committed them to memory. His tongue stole into her mouth, dancing with hers in tandem and possessing every moan that crawled its way up her throat. Kissing him was quickly becoming one of her favorite pastimes, the desire to have his lips on her an addiction she could see herself developing.

His teeth bit at her lip as he pressed the small foil package into her hand. "Put it on me," he breathed against her mouth.

Licking her lips, she pushed herself up as he moved to kneel between her spread thighs. She used her teeth to rip the package and tossed it carelessly off to the side. His hands clenched around her thighs when her fingers lightly brushed against him, a throaty moan accompanying the slight buck of his hips when she rolled the condom down the length. "All suited up," she grinned.

"Good."

Lucy felt her core tighten with the lecherous grin he gave her and found herself falling back against the bed as he lifted her legs. Her breath caught when he pushed her thighs against her torso and visibly shuddered when she felt the tip of him brush against her opening. She prepared for him to quickly enter her, but it seemed as though he wanted to pay her back for all of the teasing she'd been doing. He pressed the length of his arousal against her slit, the feeling of him slipping between her folds pulling a low, drawn out moan. Even with the protection of a condom, she could feel him throbbing every time he passed over her clit. "What the hell are y-you waiting for?" she gritted between clenched teeth.

He pressed the tip of himself against her opening and teasingly slid just a small bit in before pulling out and sliding the length back along her slit. "Just making sure my little whore's ready," he smirked.

"Fuck… I-I've been rea- Ohhh god!"

She knew he'd purposely done it, thrown her off and she could not give a single shit at that moment. Her toes curled and her center clenched as the full length of him invaded her, stretching her to capacity. _Fuck, it feels better than I remem-_ Her mind sputtered and tried grasping for reality as he pulled out only to slam his full length back into her. It was that delicious mixture of pleasure and pain again as he repeated it a second, third, fifth time before be gripped her hips.

"G-god, you're… you're so fucking tight."

Hooking her arms around her knees, she could only cry out in pleasure as he set a fast and hard pace. Over and over again, he drove into her. Every thrust jarred her body, the length of him reaching places she didn't know existed. The pressure of him slamming into the deepest parts of her teetered on that thin line between hedonism and agony.

"Oooh f-fuck… God," she moaned. "Th-that's it baby, don't…. don't stop!"

His fingers dug into her hips, pulling her up into his thrusts. "Is that what you wanted?"

"Fuck yes!"

His hips slowed, pulling a whimper from her when he pulled almost all of the way out only to slam violently back into her. Her eyes crossed, her vision blurring and a scream clawing its way out of her mouth as he did it again and again before going back to his fast and hard pace. The sounds of his moans and flesh slapping against flesh filled her ears, chorusing with her own cries of pleasure to create an erotic melody. It pulled her down under the waves where intelligible thought and words ceased to exist. And just when she thought she would spontaneously combust, he slowed and pulled her legs down as he settled between them.

"God, baby you feel so damn good," he moaned against her lips before he brought one of her hands up. "But I want to feel you cum around my cock."

Her jaw dropped and she moaned despite herself as he wet her fingers against his tongue and slipped her saliva slicked hand between their bodies to rub at her clit. His lips found hers once more, swallowing her moans as he started moving inside of her again. Long, slow strokes at first, each pressing her hand deeper between them until she could feel his slick length sliding in and out of her and her palm pressed against the aching bundle of nerves. "Oooh g-god, Laxus!"

Her moans seemed to spur him on as he hooked an arm under a leg and lifted it, his pace increasing until he was driving into her just as he had before. The hand in her hair tightened, sending pins and needles from her scalp straight down to settle between her legs. She could feel the coil inside of her starting to tighten down again until it was pulled taut. His breath against her face became as ragged as hers felt. "D-don't stop," she panted as her whole body began to tremble.

"Do it… Fuck, c-cum for me, baby."

His hips snapped against her, pressing the heel of her palm tight against her core and felt the cord break. "O-oh g-god Lax - Ahhh!"

Her eyes rolled back as her body arched painfully beneath him. Every muscle in her body seized for what seemed to be a millennium before giving way to earth shattering tremors. It felt as though her whole body exploded, the force of the blast blinding her and setting a ringing in her ears that only intensified when her name roared from his lips. His hips viciously snapped against her, sending her higher into what had to be record breaking heights.

* * *

 **Now, this chapter stopped before I had intended. I thought 10k+ words was enough. So… this shall be continued in the next chapter hehehe**

 **Major props go to the awesome mywritingmuse for her contribution of "Creepy Little Man-Child" Thank you for the brilliant inspiration, Doll! It worked so perfect because that is EXACTLY what Eve is :D**

 **And I have to give a HUGE amount of thanks to my Triplet, GemNika who assured me this wasn't as boring or dry as it felt. She's the light that always brightens my dark writing moments. I love you!**

 **But, now that LaLu week is officially over… this story will fall into rotating updates with my other stories. I just have to say how ecstatic I am to find so many people as in love with this story as I am. The reviews alone… I will admit, I've squealed with every one I've gotten and thank you. The biggest compliment by far is the number of you who have said I've managed to peg Laxus' voice down. He's totally my bae, so to hear that… *fangirls all over the place* I love you guys!**

 **The next update, hopefully this weekend if I am lucky, will be** _ **A Soulful Fugue**_ **. Then Sound Pod and then this :D**

 **Until next time, please remember to review, follow and fav!**

 **Big hugs and much love,**

 **Princess Nana**


	9. The Bargain

**Hi everyone!**

 **Sorry for the slow update. There were some reason which I won't bore you with right now. I only ask that you see the notes at the end for an important PSA and notice.**

 **On to the reading though!**

* * *

 **Chapter 8 - The Bargain**

Laxus stared up at the ceiling, his mind still reeling. The tremors had long since abated, his breathing even to match the blonde that was curled against his side. His body still tingled in all of the places she had touched. She was amazing. Beyond that really, in every sense of the word. It was hard to take him by surprise, yet she did it at every damn turn. Even with countless lovers under his belt, not one of them came close to comparing with the experience that was her. The first time had not been a fluke, and neither had the second. This just set things in stone, she was not only different. She was wholly his equal in the physical realm of things. Equally aggressive, her sexual side bordering the same debased line his flirted with. She had a dark side that seemed to call to the beast that lived inside of him, and completely walking away was no longer a viable option.

This was the time he usually got up and left, yet he couldn't find it in himself to move. Instead, he found himself sinking into the comfort of her bed and enjoying the sound of her labored breath. The thought to pull her naked, sweat slicked body against his flittered through his sex-addled mind, but he mentally chastised himself for it. No matter what he was thinking or planning, that shit just wasn't happening. That was too much like being a couple.

"What the hell is this?"

He lazily turned his head to find her staring at him, confusion dancing in her cinnamon-colored eyes. "Great sex?" he smirked.

Lucy gave a roll of her eyes and turned to stare back up at the ceiling. "Whatever."

"Well that's what it is," he chuckled. "Not like I'm asking ya to marry my ass."

"Thank fucking god for that," she tsked. "I wouldn't marry you for all the jewels in the world. Although…" She paused and turned her face back, a brow quirking. "You do realize you called me your girlfriend, right?"

Laxus' brows furrowed at her question. There was no way in hell he'd called her that. It was a word that gave him hives, he could already feel the itching start. "What? No the fuck I didn't."

She studied him for a moment before a snicker of laughter slipped past her lips. "Uh, yeah. You did, at least that's what you told Eve."

"Don't mention that creeper's name to me," Laxus growled. "It was a slip of the tongue to get his ass out of here."

"Ok, whatever," she chuckled. "That's why you seem to enjoy calling me baby when we're fucking. Is that a habit, too?"

"Huh?"

She rolled onto her side, propping her head on her hand as she smiled in amusement. "You call me baby, during sex."

Laxus blinked before turning his attention back to the ceiling, his lips turning down into a concerned frown. Surely, she was wrong. _Baby?_ That wasn't a word in his vocabulary. Okay, with the exception of referring to the younger idiots that surrounded him occasionally in the guild. But to call a sex partner that? It implied an attachment and he didn't get attached. Ever. It wasn't a possibility.

" _Have you considered the possibility that you may have just found the cure for your allergy?"_

Freed's words came rushing back in but he quickly pushed them to the side. She wasn't exactly a cure. She had the same issues, or so it would seem. It was why he'd even come to see her. "A proposition for you, Blondie."

"You're blonde too, you know."

Laxus chuckled at the groan. Her ire seemed to jack up every time he called her that. It was why he kept doing it. He'd found a button and he'd beat on that thing because her anger was a turn on. But then, there was some truth there. He'd seen some of the _boys_ she'd dated over the years. "Yeah, I know but apparently you've got a thing for blondes."

"What?" Lucy blinked. "I do not."

He smirked and arched a brow. "Really?" he challenged. "Me, Creeper, that really annoying guy that works with Sorcerer's weekly and then there was tha-"

"Ok!" she shouted, cutting him off. "I get it, so I've been with a couple of _fair-_ haired guys but they weren't all blonde. Just so you know."

"Name some that haven't been _fair-_ haired. And no, Flame Brain doesn't count."

She narrowed her eyes for a moment before huffing. "Fine, Hibiki and-"

"Techno-whore? He's a darker shade but still blonde," Laxus smirked as he rolled onto his side to face her. "Nice try, though."

"Ass," she scowled.

"I have one, thank you for noticing."

Lucy gave him a pinched resemblance of a smile. "Hard not to when it's perched on top of your shoulders." She paused as the fakest look of shock came over her face. "Oh wait! That's just your face… I'm sorry."

"Lame," he smirked. "You sure as hell didn't have any complaints when this face was between your legs."

She gave a slight shrug of her shoulder. "Well, it looks better with my snatch attached to it."

"And you sound better when you're gagging on my dick."

"I know, right?"

Laxus blinked at the strange, dreamy-like grin that settled on her lips and the gleam that flashed in her eyes. He'd been expecting another smart ass comeback, not _whatever_ that was on her face. _Fucking demon snatch…_ "You're stalling, Blondie."

"Stalling what?" Lucy smiled.

A snicker of laughter slipped between his lips as she batted her eyelashes, almost innocently. "You're blonde," he chuckled. "But you definitely aren't dumb, sweetheart. Out with it."

She let out a heavy sigh and fell back on the bed. "A guy."

 _Seriously?_ "A guy."

"Yep."

He reached over and poked at her side, garnering a laugh as she batted at his hand. "And who was this guy? What color hair?"

"Just some guy with blue hair," she giggled as he poked at her side again.

 _Blue hair?_ He blankly stared at her as he raced through men he knew in his head. It wasn't exactly a common color among men, and those that did come to mind made him shiver. "Please tell me you did not stoop so low as to fuck Macao…"

Lucy's head snapped in his direction, a look of utter disgust coming over her face. "I _do_ have standards you know," she grimaced. "That's just… Oh god, fuck no. Ugh…"

He laughed when she visibly gagged and shook her head. "You so pictured it, didn't you?"

"Shut up!" she wailed before sticking her fingers in her ear. "Lalalala. I'm not listening anymore… Happy place!"

Laxus gave a roll of his eyes before they drifted down. His tongue struck out over his lip as his gaze traveled over her chest, her squirming making her full breasts bounce. Unable to resist, he reached over and captured a dusky pink tip between his fingers. Her childish singing stuttered before melting into a moan that only seemed to breathe life into his arousal once more. _She's gonna be the fucking death of my ass…_ "So, not the old guy," he teased as he pinched and pulled her nipple so that she arched off the bed. "One of the idiots in Lamia Scale? Unibrow Fucktard or… What was his name, Gray's brother or whatever?"

"Y-Yuka," she stammered as her fingers clutched at the bed sheet. "He… He has th-the crazy b-brows."

He quickly pulled his hand back and stared at her, his initial desire to tease her derailing. _If she knows his name…_ The image that popped into his head was too much to take. Those brows… Her… "Please tell me… Please say it wasn't him…"

"What?" Lucy blinked, her head turning towards him. "What would… Oh god, NO! Never!"

He let out a sigh of relief. "Ok, so then it was Gray's brother?"

"Lyon?" She chuckled. "No, but…"

"But?"

Lucy rolled onto her side, resting on an elbow as she gave a nonchalant shrug of her shoulder. "He _is_ attractive. So…"

Laxus quirked a brow in amusement. _Bicks was right…_ "Didn't he try killing your ass on Galuna?"

Her eyes narrowed as a creepy smile crept onto her lips. "And you had Ever turn my ass to stone, yet here we are…"

"Touche," he smirked. "So if not them, then who the hell is this mystery guy?"

"I told you, just some guy."

His eyes narrowed as he studied her face. He could practically smell her nervousness and it only seemed to pique his curiosity more. Who exactly was she protecting? Without warning, he moved at the speed of light to trap her beneath him. A sadistic grin pulled at the corner of his lips and her eyes widened. "I have ways of making you talk," he chuckled darkly. "Ya little shit."

The sound of her laughter filled the room as his fingers attacked her sides. Her arms flailed and she squirmed beneath him, trying in vain to buck him off. "N-no!" Lucy squealed. "P-please… Oh god! Please… St-stop!"

"Not until you give in," he laughed as his tickle assault continued.

He slid a hand up, his fingers pressing into her armpits as the other crab-clawed her waist. His face dropped to the crook of her neck, his lips attacking her neck. The sound of her carefree hysterics was like a shot to his nervous system, arousing him. Her body moving beneath him only added fuel to that fire until he was sure he could easily take her again. And it shocked him that he wanted to. He wanted to sate the lust she inspired by sinking into her once more.

" _Do not close yourself off to all possibilities. Lucy is different, so think differently with her."_

"O-OK! I give! P-please!"

It wasn't her verbal tap out that stilled him, but Freed's words coming back to haunt his ass like the bitch in the well from the Ring. He found himself having to resist the sudden overwhelming urge to look back into her living room. Just to make sure the green-haired bastard wasn't crawling out of the lacrima-vision. _I hate him for subjecting me to that piece of crap movie, Fucking creepy ass girl in a well…_

"-xus?"

He blinked and looked down to find her looking up at him a little strangely. "What?"

"You spaced and got this… weird look on your face," she chuckled. "I wasn't sure if you were gonna stroke out or crap yourself."

 _Both if that bitch comes crawling out of the fucking lacrima vision._ "Whatever, so spill."

"Mystogan…"

"Excuse me?"

He wasn't sure he'd heard her right. There was no way she'd said who he thought she said. That guy… It was a name he hadn't heard in what seemed like forever. His grandfather had told him of the Edolas events after he'd returned to the guild. And it made sense in a way. The guy was as antisocial as they came, with his putting everyone to sleep and covering himself the way he did. "Mystogan? As in..."

"Yeah," she chuckled. " _That_ Mystogan."

Laxus couldn't wrap his head around the possibility. Maybe it had been Jellal and she'd mistaken him for the other? His arousal effectively doused, he rolled off of her and onto his side. "But... When?"

Lucy's lips pursed as if in thought for a moment. "Um… Right before the whole Fantasia incident," she lamented. "I believe. I'm guessing he needed a drink after his mission and I happened to stumble upon him in the bar down the way... We ended up at my place. It's why he was still in town when all of that went down..."

"You're fucking kidding me, right? I mean, this couldn't have been a regular thing."

She canted her head as she reached over to trace her fingers over the tattooed swirls on his chest. "It wasn't a set in stone sort of thing but we hooked up on and off up until he had to go back to Edolas."

"That's just…" His words trailed off for a moment as the disturbing image of Mystogan rutting on top of Lucy came to mind. _Mummy sex, Anyone?_ "That had to be weird."

A snarky shot of laughter sprang from her lips as she playfully slapped his chest. "Why the hell would you say that?"

"Ok, first off, the guy wasn't exactly known for his social skills."

"Actually, he was quite _talkative_ in the right setting."

Laxus blinked rapidly a few times before dead-eyeing her. He'd heard the guy talk maybe twice in all the years he'd been in the guild. Each time, it was like listening to the guy that used to do the Visine commercials. Monotone without any interest or inflection one way or another. He had all the personality of a wet noodle. No sense of humor. He was so dry, he made the Forgotten Desert look like a fucking oasis. "You're joking right?"

Her soft, thin fingers trailed along the etched lines of his muscles, her full bottom lip pulling under her teeth. "Nope," she responded as though distracted. "He talked a lot, especially when…" Her gaze lifted up to his, a hint of a grin resting on her lips. "Well, you know. Kinda like you."

 _Like me? No, fuck that._

A scowl pinched his brows and he slapped her hand away the way. It was petulant, he knew and didn't give a single fuck. "He and I are nothing alike."

Her head fell back as laughter erupted from between her lips. "That's where the comparisons stop, Luci… I assure you."

"Uh, why the fuck did you just call me by your name?" he questioned with a blink.

"I didn't," Lucy giggled. "I called you Luci, L-U-C-I as in Lucifer."

He had to admit that was actually pretty fitting, given he was convinced her damn snatch was either magical as fuck or cursed. Either way, they made a pair between the two of them. "Glad you think so highly of me," He smirked. "But, back to the proposition."

"Something tells me I should be very afraid," she said with narrowed eyes. "What is it?"

 _Welp. Do or die time, Dreyar._

This could go one of two ways and while he hoped for the route where she agreed, he didn't really see how there'd be much of a loss if she declined. He got his, or so he figured. "An open relationship," he stated after a few moments of kicking his ass into gear. "Fuck who you want and I'll do the same. I only ask that we let each other know, even compare notes."

"WHAT?"

Laxus winced at the shrill note to her voice. He was pretty sure that even old Cobwebs downstairs had heard her. Hell, probably everyone at the guild too. "I didn't stutter and I think it's a good arrangement."

Lucy stared at him, shock clearly written across her face, before she turned away and rolled off of the bed. "For who, Laxus? A prostitute?"

He hadn't exactly been expecting anger or the condescension in her tone. Perhaps it was just his cocky attitude, but he expected either a quick yes or a simple " _That's not really me"_ reply. But instead, he practically saw steam billowing out of her ears as she yanked her closet doors open. He sat up and slid to the edge of the bed. "Hey, neither of us want a real fucking relationship but you can't tell me you don't like the sex."

"So why not be fucking normal and go for fuck buddies?" She hissed as she pulled her robe from a hook and turned to glare at him. "You do you, I do me and we occasionally do each other. _Why_ do you need to know who the hell I'm fucking outside of this?"

The fact that she hadn't exactly said no or ordered his ass out was a sign that he'd take. She was seemingly open to it. "Because I want to see if you can actually find anyone else who's as good as me and I _want_ to know who you're fucking."

"Your ego knows no bounds."

 _You have no damn clue, Blondie._

Laxus gave a shrug of his shoulder as he watched her slide on her robe. He felt a twinge of jealousy for the fabric, being able to lay against her skin without any remorse or misgivings. It had no need to avoid an attachment. "Eh. You're right but again, I like the sex. You like the sex. This way we're not technically tied down. We still have freedom and can fuck whenever we want. We'd be…" his words trailed off as he silently scoured his brain for the right word. The only thing that came to mind left a sour taste in his mouth, but… _It could work. Sell it, Dreyar and she's yours for the taking._ A slow smirk pulled at a corner of his wide mouth. "Dating with a twist."

He watched as she seemed to mull it over, the gears in her head turning at lightning speed. There were a few moments that he had to question whether a random squeak in the room was indeed coming from her. He'd be lost in her thoughts though if it weren't for her eyes. Those large, mocha pools were like a window to her inner sanctum. They gave her away every damn time and added to the fact that Natsu was a big fucking idiot. That boy was always oblivious.

A light seemed to come on in her eyes and a devious grin rose up onto her lips as she slowly made her way over to stand between his legs. "Fine but I want to pick your partners every now and then," she challenged. "And you can do the same with me. Hell, we can even join in if we want."

 _Ohhhh, little girl. You really don't know._

He had her so perfectly figured out. She was banking on his refusal to those terms. Little did she know, he could care less. Her choosing someone for him from time to time would save him the headache of seeking a suitable one out himself. "Fine by me."

Her face fell and she blinked. "S-seriously?"

"Fuck yeah," he grinned. "Best of both worlds."

"So you're saying you'll actually let me chose who you fuck?"

He loved the way she seemed to choke on her words. The exasperation on her face was absolutely worth it. "Why not? I trust your judgment," he shrugged nonchalantly as his fingers found the back of her toned calves. "And really, Blondie. What guy would pass up the offer of a threesome with you and another chick?"

He felt her shudder as his fingers grazed the backs of her knees and he could completely relate. It was the same involuntary reaction he had when she touched him. _Fucking Demon Snatch…_ He saw the expression of contemplation in her eyes waver as his fingers ghosted up the back of her thighs, pushing up her robe. He stopped just shy of her ass and pulled her closer. Even with the barrier of cloth, he could smell her. She was covered in the scent of sex, him and her usual strawberries and honey. It bothered him that someone else would get to enjoy that.

"Then… I guess you've got a deal."

Her quiet admission brought him back from the edge of his thoughts and words fell out from his lips before he could reel them back in. "Not quite, another stipulation…"

She blinked down at him. "What is that?"

 _What the fuck am I doing?_ "I'm the only one you fuck on a regular basis, everyone else is a one-shot deal."

"That's pretty fucking selfish of you," she tsked.

Laxus smirked and twisted, pulling her back down onto the bed with him. He knew it was selfish but he didn't exactly care. The terms were no less than his own personal rule. "Probably," he grinned as his fingers captured the tie of her robe. "But I'll even accept the same terms. Any other women only get one go."

Lucy's eyes widened a fraction. "So I'll be your only regular?"

He gave a nod of his head as he pulled at the tie, undoing the small bow.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

She squirmed and captured the hand he slipped beneath her robe with her own. "Well, if you're wanting open, why the whole one time only rule?"

Why was he doing this? It was a question he'd been struggling with. All of this was supposed to be off limits, not allowed. But there was no escaping the fact that he did indeed want her. Perhaps not all for his own, but he wanted to claim her body. He pulled his hand from her hold and slid it beneath her robe, his fingers caressing over her smooth stomach. "Simple," he started as he dipped his head to kiss along her jawline. _Might as well be honest, so she can't ever say I wasn't._ "I'm a greedy ass bastard and I don't want anyone else thinking they can have you full time."

A gasp slipped from her lips when his fingers found her breasts and he smirked against her ear. "Wh-what the fuck are you going… Are you g-going to do if I find someone I actually want to be with?"

"You won't…" he breathed as his fingers pinched at her pebbled sound of her whimpering only served to make him want her more. He could get addicted to the way she reacted. He knew he was already salivating at the scent of her arousal.

"God, y-you're evil," she moaned as she arched into his touch. "But… your co-cocky fucking attitude aside, You don't know that."

Laxus kissed his way up to her lips, enjoying the taste of her skin. "Sure I do," he whispered against her lips as his fingers traveled down the length of her torso once again. His tongue struck out over them, pulling back when her tongue rose to meet his. He wanted to see the look of pleasure on her face again as his fingers brushed against the apex of her thighs. "You won't find anyone else that will make you feel the way I do."

"You're a Jackass."

"So you've said," he grinned as he slipped a finger into her folds to tease the small bundle of nerves nestled inside.

A strangled moan sounded from her throat as her hips bucked against his hand. "Fu-fuck… y-you're gonna be the death of me!"

He smirked at her words and nipped at her parted lips. "Nah, I know CPR. I'll bring our ass back."

"Just to-Oh god!" she moaned as his finger slipped down to tease her opening. "Ju-just to k-kill me all over again."

"Mhm," he hummed. His tongue teased her lips, just barely flirting with her own tongue as he slipped his finger inside of the tight confines of her body. Already he could feel his own arousal aching to replace it, to be buried inside of her again. Her warm breath tickled his skin in rushes as his finger moved inside of her. "Fuck, I love just how damn wet you get."

"A-again? But-"

Laxus sealed his lips over hers to cut off her mumbled words. His tongue stroked hers in time to the thrusts of his hand and her hips rose to meet him. "And maybe rounds three or four before we're done," he smirked against her lips.

* * *

Natsu sighed contentedly. The sun on his skin felt like heaven, but even more so was the cool hand that was wrapped around his. Glancing over at the man beside him, he smiled. It was a reality that he never thought would come to be. He wasn't sure exactly when his feelings towards the Ice Make mage had changed. They'd been rivals from the first, always fighting and pushing each other to extremes. But then, one day he'd looked at the droopy eyed bastard and it was just… Different.

Instead of the anger he'd grown used to, the sense of competition that lingered in the distance between them, he found his heart pounding for reasons he didn't understand at first. He began noticing every little nuance Gray had. The way his jaw ticked when he was deep in thought or agitated. The slight twitch of the corner of his mouth when he was eating Lucy's curry. He claimed to hate the stuff, but Natsu knew better. The slight gleam that shone in those deep navy colored eyes when he claimed disinterest with morning cartoons. The way he sighed in his sleep.

Natsu didn't know a lot of things. He wasn't book smart and common sense often passed him by. But there was one thing he did know. He'd fallen in love with his greatest rival and closest friend. And there was nothing he could do about it, or so he'd thought. He'd kept it in, bottled it up. For the first time in his life, he believed he'd found the one thing he had to give up on. It wasn't a feeling he enjoyed and he'd almost completely destroyed things with the people around him because of it. He'd been an idiot to think turning his attentions to Lucy would wipe away his feelings. That had only solidified his affections for the man and drove him deeper into a hole filled with shit.

Then the kosmos, or karma, had stepped in when he least expected. The walk of shame from one lover's bed brought him face to face with the object of his greatest desire. Trying to avoid the guilt that was swallowing him whole, he hadn't been paying attention to where he was going. A tree root acted as a catalyst, sending him tumbling only to land on top a very surprised Gray. Their bodies pressed together, bare chest to bare chest, the peppermint and vanilla scent that haunted him, the unguarded expression of shock and fear that he found in the blue depths of his eyes. It had been too much to resist. He'd given in and found the Ice Make mage responding.

What started as a lustful act of desperation, hard and fast physical release that they swore would never happen again, became an illicit affair. They kept it secret, figuring it was just a passing fancy. The newness would wear off, or so Gray had claimed. But then came the moment that had left Natsu breathless and on the verge of grief-driven insanity. He didn't need Gray to tell him what had happened during the battle with the dragons. He'd felt it. His heart had stopped and a dark sadness had swallowed him whole. It was only by some stroke of unknown luck that time had rewound. He'd been given a second chance, and apparently Gray had known it too.

"We need to take the whole team out next time."

Gray's voice pulled him out of his reverie and he blinked as he saw the city skyline rising up in front of them. They were almost home. _Home where Happy's waiting for us…_ He glanced over at the raven-haired man, giving him a cheeky grin. They were now sharing a home. It had taken no convincing to get Gray to move in with him. And while it was still new, they seemed to just fall into step with one another as though they'd always lived together. He'd found his mate and the ring in his pocket would make it official.

"What?" Natsu chuckled as he gave the hand he held a squeeze. "Don't like being alone with me anymore?"

A light dusting of pink brushed across Gray's cheek as his tongue clicked against the roof of his mouth. "No, you Flametard but Lucy's got rent and we're still a damn team."

"Oh," he winced. He'd been so wrapped up in his own happiness, he'd forgotten the rest of the world it would seem. _I owe her a lifetime of debt..._ "Yeah. I gotta make up to her for the last job we all went on."

"Yeah, you do."

Natsu's eyes narrowed, unsure whether to kiss or punch the smug look off of his boyfriend's face. _Boyfriend…_ The thought still made him want to giggle. "Shut the hell up, Ice Prick."

A chuckle fell from Gray's lips as a gentle smile tugged at his lips. "Love ya, Ash Breath."

"Love you too, Elsa."

Movement caught his eye and his gaze dropped to find a miniature snowman sitting in the Ice Make mage's palm. He would have laughed if it didn't come off so damn sweet. He suddenly wished he could make things like that, other than fireballs of destruction. "I thought you were supposed to ask me to _help_ you build one," he pouted.

"That comes later, Great Balls of Fire."

The deep sound of Gray's voice always got him, but when that husky, breathy quality laced in, it was like a bullet that raced straight down to his arousal. He bit his lip and glanced around, tempted to attack him right there on the roadside. But the sight of someone approaching squashed that idea. _Ride the train, Ass-_ His mental chastisement of the ruination of his spontaneity cut short as he took in the person's clothes. He knew that mop of blonde hair, that yellow button down shirt. Just one sniff at the air and he knew exactly who that overly sweet ice cream scent belonged to.

"Is that Eve?"

Natsu gave a short nod of his head as he hummed a response. He took in the young man's sluggish gait, the hung head, the way a hand came up to wipe at his face. "Lucy must have talked to him," he commented aloud.

"Yeah," Gray lamented before calling out. "Hey, Eve!"

The Blond lifted his head to reveal puffy, red eyes. A sad resemblance of a smile forced its way onto his lips. "Oh... Hi, guys."

Natsu forced a smile, but he felt sorry for the poor kid. It was clearly evident that his heart had just been ripped to shreds, but it couldn't be helped. He knew Lucy did what was right. She would never return the kid's affections, no matter how it ended up. The kid was not Lucy's style. _But then Laxus isn't either._ There was no doubt in his mind that the Lightning Dragon Slayer would ultimately hurt his best friend. But if that was the choice she made, he'd support her in it."What's up man?"

Eve gave a shrug of his shoulder as he averted his eyes. "I just," he sighed. "I'm on my way home."

"Ah, here on guild business?" Natsu ventured, fishing for a confirmation.

"No, personal errand but…" the Blond replied tightly. "I need to get going."

Gray lightly elbowed Natsu and gave a shake of his head. " ," he replied with a small smile. "Well, be safe out there."

Eve glanced hesitantly between them both. He looked as though he was going to ask something before his face fell with his shoulders. "Yeah… See ya."

"See ya," Natsu replied as brightly as he could. It was uncomfortable to see the guy so distraught and it made him wonder how Lucy was taking it. She had a tender heart, so hurting the guy wouldn't have been easy.

"Wow," Gray finally said after a few moments of silence. "He looked torn up."

Natsu frowned and grabbed for the Ice Make mage's hand once more. "Yeah," he said worriedly as he started to pull the other man off towards town. "Which means I need to go check on Luce."

He was glad that Gray didn't fight him, but rather kept up the fast pace he set. If Eve was crying, he couldn't imagine the kid had the brains to hold it. He could only imagine the kid breaking down in front of Lucy, most likely groveling at her feet. It would only make her feel worse than he already knew she felt over the situation. That would only lead to her crying. And he hated to see her cry. It broke his heart every time.

She was a proud woman, strong and so incredibly smart. He knew that even if he did tease her otherwise. He did it to push her at first and it just became a habit. He loved Lucy, almost as much as he loved Gray. She was his best friend, was always there to support him. Even at his lowest. No matter how much he teased her or lost the pay on a job, she was always there. He knew that life would not be the same without her.

They finally reached her apartment building and he thought it odd that her window was closed. _She must be crying._ He let go of Gray's hand and yanked the door open. Ignoring the angry glare of the Landlady, he raced up the stairs. As he drew closer to her door, though, his steps slowed. His nose twitched at the scent that laid over the top of hers. He knew that smell and it wasn't the smell of tears. _Laxus…_

He wanted to think that the other Slayer was just visiting, but the smell of sex mixed in with the fragrance of the two inside. And if that wasn't enough to convince him, the sounds that reached his sensitive ears certainly did. The low grunts, muted moans, the barely discernable squeak of bedsprings. Heat flared in his cheeks and he made to turn away only to find Gray beside him, a hand lifted in preparation to knock.

"Don't," he hissed in a whisper as he grabbed for the mage's hand.

Gray glanced at the hand wrapped around his wrist before furrowing his brows in confusion. "What? Why?"

Natsu glanced back at the door and shook his head. "She's…" he paused. For once, he was glad Happy wasn't with them. Outing the fact that she was in the middle of a sexual tryst was not something he or the exceed was at liberty to divulge. He definitely wasn't going to out who she was having sex with. If she wanted others to know, she would say so herself. "She's fine."

" _Oooh g-god, Laxus!"_

The cry of pleasure that came from behind the door gave birth to a heavy sigh. He prayed that he'd been the only one to hear it. But one glance at his boyfriend and he knew. Wide navy eyes, a deep scarlet tint to normally pale cheeks, those kissable lips parted in shock.

"Uh…" Gray blinked.

"Yeah, come on," Natsu sighed as he gave a tug on his hand. "We'll um… We can talk to her later…"

* * *

Eve made it as far as the next rise before he stopped and looked back. A sob broke free from his lips as he watched the two men hurry off towards the city he'd just left. The city where she was. The city where his heart had been ripped out and crushed into dust. A hand came up to grip his chest, his fingers curling into the button up shirt. It felt as though there were nothing but a gaping hole there. He wished there was. Bleeding out seemed a better alternative to the pain that was consuming him.

Then there was the anger.

He knew Natsu and Gray had to have known. Everyone in Fairy Tail must have mocked him. Lucy and Laxus were probably mocking him right at that moment. That was why she hadn't returned his calls or responded to any of his missives. He had become a complete joke.

 _Why?_

It was the million dollar question. He had believed her to be so innocent, so kind. He had believed her to have a heart of gold, the wings of an angel. But she was none of that. She had given him hope. She had allowed him to believe he really had a chance. When had that chance passed? He didn't want to believe she was always that cold. The look on her face made him want to believe that she wasn't. But that womanizing asshole's words had said very differently. She'd toyed with him, probably for their own amusement.

That had to be why she'd disappeared from his room. His fingernails dug into his palms as a shudder of disgust racked his slight frame. _She probably ran straight back to him so they could share a laugh…_

He turned from the city and continued down the path with no real destination in mind. He wasn't ready to head home. Ren, Hibiki, Ichiya… Master Bob. They'd all be waiting to celebrate. There wasn't anything to celebrate. The promise ring he'd so foolishly purchased was still nestled in his pocket. The weight of it was inconsequential, he knew. But since he'd left her place, it felt like a lead weight that was slowing him down. It felt as though it were pulling him under, into a dark oblivion.

 _Why?_

Why had he given into hope? Why had he believed in her? In love? Why had he ever thought he would have a chance? Her face came to the forefront of his mind. The evil that was his thoughts replayed every moment he'd shared with her. The touch of her hand, the feel of her lips, the way she smiled brighter than the sun. Every single flash felt like a sword running him through until he felt as though he was littered with holes.

The burden of the pain became too much. His knees buckled and he hit the earthen path, his breath leaving him in a rush. His shoulders trembled as he pressed his forehead to the ground beneath him, his fingers curling into the loose dirt. A new wave of tears spilled and he just let it go with a roar of pain. He did not care if others saw him or that his clothes would be soiled. He let the pain consume him and let the tears come.

 _I loved her… and I hate… I hate that I still do…_

* * *

 **Laxus… He's such a cocky ass. I love him that way hehehe. And Lucy with Mystogan O.O Don't ask, it came from left field but was too good to not roll with the fluffy Natsu and Gray. Our precious Fire Dragon Slayer's been really pressing on me a bit lately to show his mature side. He's surprised me but then… He DOES have a mate now hehe. And poor Eve… I do feel sorry for the guy.**

 **For the Notice. I need to start off with an apology. My "muse" took a pretty solid hit and refused to work with me for a while. She's still struggling but we're getting there, slowly. But huge news personally for me, I got an unexpected promotion at my job. Unfortunately, with that new title comes a bit of traveling. At least once or twice a month. This will hinder some of my writing time. I will still be updating but it may not be as fast as usual aka once a week. I promise I am not giving up on my stories. I just now have to split my time between writing and real life lol.  
**

 **For the PSA:  
**

 **Artists put everything they have into their work. Whether it be writing, painting, drawing… They take the time to put their soul into their work. And then they essentially bare their souls by publishing it. For those who do it professionally, they are lucky. They have a buffer between them and the people who get to appreciate it. There are layers of people who insulate them from the "end user." For those of us on fanfiction, Tumblr, AO3. We don't. We aren't getting paid for our hard work. We are putting our souls out there for free, for the reader's enjoyment. We subject ourselves to the fact that there is no buffer. So, we get to see everything said about our work… Good and Bad. Why? Because we truly enjoy what we do and wish to share it.**

 **Before you review, take the time to remember that and chose your words carefully. Constructive criticism is ALWAYS a welcomed thing. It's how we grow as artists. Hateful, rude, inconsiderate notes about how much the artists sucks or how much you hate them/their work is uncalled for. It's a form of bullying. It's hurtful. Rude comments are just that… Rude. Myself and most of my friends have pretty thick skin, so it usually doesn't get to to us. But the truth of the matter is, it does.**

 **There are those out there that aren't so fortunate to just stumble. It can drive an artist to quit, to walk away from what they love. They take it to heart, pull down their work and deny the rest of the world of something precious… Them, part of who they are. We should all be thankful for that, for their efforts to make this world a better place by giving pieces of their heart and soul.**

 **I do understand bad days. I'm human and as humans, we ALL have them. But that does not give any of us the right to go around bashing others just so that they feel as miserable as we feel. If you can't find a kind word, don't say anything. Or better yet, just drop a review thanking them for posting. Why? Because they did something a lot of people won't. They exposed their souls and aren't getting paid to do it.**

 **Sorry, not sorry, for the long rant.**

 **Next update with be** _ **A Soulful Fugue**_ **.**

 **Big hugs and lots of Love!**

 **Princess Nana**


	10. Warning

**Hi everyone!**

 **So… this is late. I know. Let the beatings commence. BUT! Not sure anyone noticed but the story got new cover art thanks to the seriously talented Paperhana. She did an amazing job and captured Lucy in Laxus' shirt hehehe. So please give her a huge hug for being so amazing! Thank you, hun for the awesome picture! It's beautiful and I love it :)  
**

 **But! Onto the reading!**

* * *

 **Chapter 9 - Warning**

Lucy reached for the heavy guild hall doors and winced at the soreness in her arms and back. Actually, her whole body was sore. She felt as though she'd been run the hell over by a train. It wasn't very surprising, four rounds of rigorous, aggressive sex with the Thunder God himself would do that to a girl. The bruises she'd caught sight of in the bathroom mirror's reflexion had not been a shock either. They littered her back, ass and thighs - one was clearly the imprint of his large hand. It would never come from her lips, at least not in the presence of anyone else, but she could admit the little _reminders_ had turned her on.

He was a beast in the sack and she had zero complaints. Before him, Mystogan had by far been the best she'd ever been with. That little accident from heaven, as she had frequently referred to him as, had rocked the hell out of her world. He'd introduced her to a plethora of variety where sex was concerned. Pleasure, pain and everything in between, he had an uncanny ability to reduce her to sheer putty in his hand. Good lord could he play her body like a fine-tuned instrument. Long after his return to Edolas, he had still been her favorite fantasy subject. But not even that glorious man and his expert knowledge of her body and air magic couldn't hold a candle to Laxus.

The Lightning Dragon Slayer had left before she woke, leaving just a small scribble saying he'd see her later on a random envelope she'd had sitting on her table. Part of her brain said she probably should have been offended by the words ' _Thanks for last night,'_ but she wasn't. Not even in the least. In all actuality, she was glad for the solitude. It gave her time for herself to do her usual morning routine, but it also allowed her time to mull over their new _arrangement_. She was still dealing with a little shock from it.

It was no secret that Laxus didn't do relationships, ever, and it was rumored he only ever did one night stands. He was breaking away from his usual _modus operandi_ by not only seeking some semblance of a relationship but putting the rules he had in place on top of it. They were to be each other's only regulars and he wanted to discuss their sexual escapades afterward? It made absolutely no sense. Then, throw on his agreeing to allow her to choose who he slept with if they were together? That was absolutely mind boggling, it just wasn't his style. It was like the most fucked up version of a polyamorous relationship ever, bastardized to a point of bordering on just pure insanity.

The entire deal betrayed everything she'd learned about Dragon Slayers up to that point. If anything, it was him being a slayer that made all of his previous conquests make sense. There was no room for those possessive instincts to kick in if he wasn't sleeping with them more than once. So, why her? Why now? He clearly detested the idea of a relationship, one point she could absolutely agree on. Her _mishap_ with Eve was a testament to the fact that she just was not in a place yet for something with commitment. There were no clear answers to be had and she wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. He was offering her world shattering sex on a somewhat regular basis with their freedom still intact. Who was she to argue with that or turn it down? _I'd be a fucking fool._

Stepping into the interior of the hall, Lucy glanced around until she spotted her two favorite boys sitting at their usual table. She casually made her way over, waving to a few of the other members who called out their usual good mornings. She spotted Levy at her usual table but she refrained from calling out to her due to the scowl on the Blunette's face as she spoke with her boyfriend and teammate. That was a situation she didn't quite get. They'd fought their attraction for each other for years and then finally wake up, only to do nothing but fight every day over the smallest of things. _And that's one reason I don't need a relationship. Fix my shit first before dealing with someone else's._

She set her bag down on the table and frowned when neither Gray or Natsu looked up from their plates. They seemed to be studying the food that they were pushing around as if it would grow legs and take off for greener pastures. She cast a questioning look at Happy but the blue exceed only shrugged before he too returned to eating his fish. Quietly, she took a seat and stared at them in awkward silence. _Maybe their mission went bad?_ She started to ask but quickly clamped her lips shut when Gray finally lifted his gaze to meet hers, the icy blue depths intently boring into her.

"So," he finally said. "Um. Laxus, huh?"

She blinked at him a couple of times, his words bringing her mind to a screeching halt. Her cheeks heated as a cold chill raced up her spine. "Oh god," she mumbled before slamming her head down onto her arms on the table. "He thought he smelled you two…"

"Yeah…"

"Oooh," Happy crooned. "Lucy and Laxus are in loooove!"

 _L… Lo… Luh… Fuck me._ She couldn't even bring herself to think that word, much less say it. "Shut it cat!" She groaned. That was definitely the farthest thing from the truth, knowing she'd fall in love with a damn Vulcan before she'd fall for the Lightning Dragon Slayer. But if Natsu and Gray knew, who else? She quickly lifted her head and glared at the two men. "Please… Please tell me you did _not_ tell Erza."

Natsu's face pinched as he gaped at her. "And have her beat the crap out of both of us? No thanks, Luce."

Lucy had never been so thankful for the Dragon Slayer's fear of the Requip mage. "Thank you," she sighed in relief. That really was the last person she needed knowing. Erza was hell bent on protecting her _honor_ , living under the fucked up delusion that she was still a virgin. She didn't have the heart or the backbone to correct the woman. Not yet.

"So. You know I have to ask," Gray said as he pushed his plate away and leaned up onto the table. "Laxus? Pretty playboy Laxus?"

She sighed at the judging tone of his voice and cut her eyes to glare at the Ice Make mage.

"What?"

Gray's face fell as he stared at her. "Luce… He's bad news in the boyfriend department, I mean do you really expect him to be faithful?"

"Especially when you're a little heavy."

"Happy," Natsu growled. "This isn't a damn joke."

The blue Exceed gaped at the Dragon Slayer before letting out a huff and glancing her way. "Fine. Sorry, Lushi."

More than anything, she wanted to bat Happy across the hall at that moment. It wasn't about not loving the little guy, but all about her being fed the hell up with him and his fat jokes. It was getting old. He had no couth but it did surprise her when Natsu stopped it. That was definitely a first. Usually, he took part in it, adding on to the insults. It could only be surmised that Gray was having a positive effect on her dear idiot of a friend.

"I have to agree, Luigi. I'd hate to have to kick his ass for hurting you."

A laugh burst from her lips and she reached across the table to steal a piece of toast from Gray's plate. "Natsu, how many times have you tried to fight him?" She chuckled.

The Dragon Slayer wrinkled his nose and waved a hand as if to dismiss her. "I was feeling off that day."

"And the other days?"

Natsu let out a huff of air, puffing his chest like he had a pair. "I could take him, Luce. You know I could."

"Babe," Gray cut in and reached over to lay a hand on Natsu's leg. "We all know you could so drop it."

The Slayer opened his mouth as if he caught the slight condescension in the Ice Make mage's tone, but quickly turned his attention back to her. "How did it go with Eve? We sorta ran into him on his way out of town."

Lucy winced at the mention of the poor boy's name. She got pissed at Laxus for how he handled it every time it crossed her mind. But then he had been right to a point, there was no use beating around the bush. Unfortunately, he didn't rip it like a band-aid. It was more like he ripped hot wax straight off the Kid's nuts. "Yeah," she frowned. "It… It didn't exactly go as planned and he was seriously hurt when he left."

"No kidding," Gray lamented. "We could tell he'd been crying and he looked like hell."

She felt a twinge in her chest, knowing she'd been the cause of it. It had all been entirely her fault. The fact that Laxus delivered the finishing blow didn't matter because she should have never let it get that far. She'd only wanted to let him down easy, hopefully, save a friendship. But that was old hat now, he'd most likely run her over with a magic vehicle before looking her way again. "I seriously screwed that whole thing up," she frowned.

"Luce," Natsu sighed as he reached over to grab her hand. "You made a mistake, we all do. It's not your fault he liked you more than you liked him."

 _The story of my life, apparently._ She let out a heavy sigh and shoved the last of the toast in her mouth to keep herself from blurting out the truth. They'd most likely find out eventually, the rumor mill between guilds was always working better than it should. But she just wasn't up for admitting the ugly truth to them in that moment.

"Just don't let _you know who_ be another one," Gray said to cut into her thoughts. "Some mistakes you can't fix, Lucy. I know."

So they were back to that topic. Again. She knew they wouldn't just let it drop. "Guys," she mumbled around the bread. "It's just sex."

The Ice Make mage arched a brow. "Just sex?"

Lucy paused mid-chew and stared at the raven-haired man. "Yeah," she mumbled before quickly swallowing. "You know that thing where you put your penis in-"

"Ok! I know what sex is, thank you very fucking much." Gray interrupted quickly and quite uncomfortable it seemed. "But… You don't exactly seem like the _friends with benefits_ type."

'What's a friend with benefits?"

Natsu sighed and glanced at the Exceed. "I'll explain later," he frowned before looking pointedly at Lucy. "You deserve someone who's gonna treat you right, not run around on you."

Her smile faltered and she averted her gaze. She knew these questions would come, expected this exact reaction. Despite the bump in their past, their unfortunate alcohol-spawned indiscretion, he… They were still there to protect and watch over her. "Guys. I love you," she started softly. "From the bottom of my heart and I really do appreciate you watching out for me. I do. But, I really don't want a serious relationship right now. I just can't."

"Yeah, but Laxus?"

That was the very same thing she'd asked herself in the bathroom while showering. And she came to the exactly same conclusion every time. "Yeah, he's good looking and well…" She gave a shrug of her shoulder, willing herself to not seek the Blond's presence out. "He pretty much rocked the hell out of my world. So…"

Natsu held up a hand and shook his head, vehemently. "I don't wanna know."

"Good," the Ice Make mage grimaced. "You don't need to."

The Fire Dragon Slayer grinned and gave her a wink before giving a nudge to the man beside him. "Jealous?"

"Hell yeah, I am," Gray grumbled without missing a beat.

A peal of laughter rang out in the hall as she watched the Dragon Slayer grab his boyfriend's face unexpected, planting what looked like the sloppiest, wettest kiss she'd ever seen. The look of shock that came over Gray's face was priceless, but it was the look of sheer adoration that the two held for each other. _They really are meant to be together._ "You two are so damn cute," she thought aloud.

"Ewwww, you guys did that all night!" Happy grimaced and covered his eyes.

Natsu turned his face down in an attempt to hide the sudden color in his cheeks. "I'm not cute," he grumbled before looking at Happy. "And you hush, go give Charle a fish or something."

"You are when you blush," Gray smiled.

"Shut the hell up, Ice Princess."

She gave a shake of her head when the two tried glaring at each other with all the venom in the world, but failed miserably given the little hearts that floated between them. "But seriously, you guys," she said to break the stare off and pushed up from the table. "It's all good. This is what I want right now and if I change my mind, I can always back out."

Gray looked up at her, studying her for a few long moments. His doubts were broadcasted in the dark blue depths of his eyes, but it was clear he'd support her. "Well… You know we're here."

"Yeah," Natsu cut in. "And if he hurts you, we will both fuck his world up."

Lucy knew they were just watching out for her. It's what they did and she wouldn't have it any other way. She grabbed her bag and slung it onto her shoulder as her stomach gave a rumble. "I know," she smiled. "And I love you both for that, but I need to go grab a smoothie. Talk to you guys later."

* * *

Laxus shoved a bite of pancakes into his mouth and audibly sighed in contentment as he chewed. He'd woken up pretty famished, only to realize neither he nor Lucy had bothered stopping for dinner. The feelings of hunger he'd had were quickly pushed aside when he came to the mind-bending realization that he hadn't bothered to make it home either. He, Laxus Dreyar, had not only broken his own rules by involving himself in… whatever this thing with her was, at his own suggestion no less. But he'd also broken a sacred rule by actually spending the entire night, in her bed. Not just sleeping together, but actually _sleeping_ together. He could only chalk it up to wearing himself out to the point of delirious exhaustion which prompted an immediate comatose state. Surely that had to be it because he abhorred having to share a bed. With anyone.

He'd promptly, but very carefully, extracted himself from her slumbered embrace. Denying that he was ever wrapped around her. Even though the evil tricksey voice in his head kept reminding him that he'd had his arms wrapped around her tighter than spandex stretched around Master Bob's backside. Unfortunately, he knew exactly how tight that fit was. Given the overweight drag queen had shown up to the games one day in a deplorable pink lycra jumpsuit. There were rumors about counseling sessions being offered after that little fiasco. But, that wasn't really the point. The point was, he had not been wrapped around her like that. At all. Not even a little bit. That was what he was telling himself anyway. He was still trying to figure out why the hell he'd felt the nagging need to leave a note. He'd actually looked for a pad of paper, settling for a piece of junk mail she'd had in the kitchen and scribbled some words down. Then he literally threw the thing down on the pillow next to her like the anti-christ was trying to get out of it and ran for the door. He barely contained the scream that wanted to burst from his lips for fear of waking her up.

Now that he'd showered, had time to calm himself down and was filling his empty stomach, things were right in the world. Almost, anyways. He'd somehow managed to beat his entire team to the guild. Bickslow being late was old hat, the guy was going to be late to his own funeral via oversleeping. But Freed was always up at the crack of dawn and in here when the doors opened with Evergreen following behind. She'd finally arrived, he'd smelled her overpowering floral scent the moment she'd passed through the doors. But that hadn't been until Mira had brought him his usual morning fare. It had given him time to himself, which his brain and dick somehow translated into time to think. One wanted to think about just what the hell he'd done, mainly concerning Lucy. The other wanted to think about how quick he was going to return to the unbelievably tight confines of said blonde's body. That one had been easy enough to diffuse because he was already of the opinion that he was seeking pleasure elsewhere for the evening.

"So. It's started."

Laxus blinked at the sudden interruption to his thoughts. He was thankful for the reprieving given his inner musings had descended into reminiscing about the night before. But it was the angered tone of a voice he knew all too well that had him hesitantly looking up from his plate. Fire blazed in the brunette's dark brown eyes, her pink tinted lips pressed firmly into a thin line. He loved Evergreen, he did. She was the sister he never had but fuck him if he didn't hate her when she was pissed. "What's started?"

The Fairy mage gave a roll of her eyes in apparent disgust. "The damn rumor mill."

 _Seriously? This is what she's pissed about?_ "Please,' he replied in disinterest. "I told you not to get involved in that crap."

"Kind of hard when I go to get a drink and I overhear it."

He could tell by the increasing volume of her voice that whatever she had to say wasn't just going to die on the stupid vine from whence it came. He tossed his fork down and sat back in his chair. "And what the hell did you hear that you felt the need to spread it around this table?"

Evergreen blinked, her jaw dropping as if she were shocked. "Oh, you know exactly what it is."

"Uh. Not a fucking clue and don't really care."

"Laxus," she growled. "I told you not to go sullying that girl's reputation."

He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and rolled his eyes. This crap, again. "You're fucking kidding, right? I haven't done a damn thing to her _reputation_."

"Other than running your damn trap to Bix's loud drunkard girlfriend," Evergreen spat back.

"She happened to fucking be there, Ever," Laxus groaned as he threw his hands up. "Not exactly my fault."

The Fairy mage glared at him incredulously, aggravation clearly written on her face when she took a seat across from him. "Uh, yeah. It is," she said in a hushed tone. "You could've told him to shut it and go on about your business."

Laxus blinked at the woman across from him. Shocked that she'd get on her high horse with him to begin with, surprised that she was so incredibly adamant about someone other than herself. Either way, it was pissing him the hell off. "Are you really sitting here telling me how to live my damn life?"

"Never," Evergreen stated rather plainly. "Your life is your own. But you're my friend and as _your_ friend, it's my job to tell you when you're stepping in a steaming pile of crap."

"Evergreen…" He started but quickly stopped himself. He needed to remember this was one of his own team members and not just some idiot guild member that could easily be beat down. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes for a moment to get a hold of his anger. "Before I say a bunch of shit that will only hurt your feelings, I'm just going tell you I've got this."

Her brows shot to her hairline and she pointed back towards the bar. "Those women over there are plotting against you, Laxus. The minute they tell Erza, Team Natsu is going to be all over you like white on rice."

"And what fucking makes you think those idiots don't already know?"

She blinked at his words. "What?"

 _Finally, something to smack her back with._ "Natsu and Gray came by her apartment," he smirked. "And I'm pretty fucking sure they got an ear full."

He watched her expression change from one of shock to confusion just to melt right back into shock. It still surprised him just how fucking easy it was to leave even his best friends speechless. They should be used to it by now, or he would have figured.

"Hold on," Evergreen finally said after finding her voice. "You… You were at Lucy's last night?"

Laxus gave a smug shrug of his shoulder. "Not that it's your damn business, but yeah."

"And you had sex?' She blinked. "As in, a repeat performance?"

"What's your point, Ever?"

"I… You…"

"Good morning, Laxus. Evergreen."

He had never been so glad to hear Freed's voice in his entire life. The conversation with the woman was becoming stale, boring him. He looked over and greeted the Rune mage with a nod and grunt as the man unburdened his usual load of books before taking a seat.

"Freed," Evergreen said as she waved a hand in the Slayer's direction. "Laxus…

Freed stared at the woman, waiting for her to finish whatever she had to say. But when it didn't come, he looked over at Laxus for direction. "What is wrong with her?"

"I don't fucking know," the Slayer said with a roll of his eyes. "Maybe she's on her monthly and has lost her damn mind."

Evergreen cut her eyes at him and snapped her fan open. "My menstrual cycle is not up for discussion," she hissed before turning a pointed glare at the green-haired man. "Him and Lucy. Again. Last night."

"Pardon?" Freed blinked.

Laxus watched as the two exchanged looks and sighed when all the Fairy mage would do was gesture his way with her eyes. This wasn't fucking charades or morse code. "I think she's trying to tell you that Blondie and I fucked last night."

"Again," Evergreen quickly added. "As in, twice now."

Freed stared blankly at the brunette for the longest time before recognition finally seemed to dawn on him. "So that is where you disappeared to," he lamented in a rather bored tone. "I tried calling you."

"Yeah," Laxus grunted. "I was... Busy."

The Rune mage nodded as though he perfectly understood. "Well that is good news," he smiled politely. "I take it that you are giving the dating life a try?"

"Laxus? Date?" Evergreen interjected. "Freed, are you listening to what the hell you're saying? He's never been monogamous a day in his life and you're ok with that?"

Laxus held up a hand to the Rune mage to interrupt him before he even spoke. "You do realize I'm sitting right here?"

"Ever," Freed postulated. "Laxus is perfectly capable of having a normal relationship."

 _Normal? I wouldn't exactly put it that way, but…_ "Well-"

Evergreen let out a sarcastic laugh to cut him off, her head falling back with a dramatic flourish. "Yeah, ok. You keep telling yourself that."

"Hey!" Laxus bellowed.

Freed reached over and politely patted his hand as if to signify that he had this. "The fact that he left here after our conversation proves it," he maintained. "He sees what a treasure Lucy is."

"No," she quickly shot back. "He sees a piece of ass, end of story."

Laxus reached up and rubbed his now throbbing temples. He loved his friends, he did. They were great when it really counted. But when it didn't, they could be worse than children. Listening to the two of them bicker over his love life was definitely not one of those _counted_ moments. It was like listening to two magpies squawking at each other. It was his life, and while he generally kept his private life just that, private. This time, he'd make an exception given it would be on the Five O'Clock news at this rate. "Would you two shut the hell up?" He growled. "Fuck! I can't get a word in edgewise."

"I… I apologize," Freed blinked before looking away reticently.

He waved the man off with a wave. "Yeah, Blondie and I are…" he paused, trying to think of the best way to put it without causing an uproar. "We're sorta seeing each other."

Evergreen tsked and shook her head. "Sort of? So, she's your new booty call."

"Evergreen, he would ne-"

Laxus held up a hand to stop Freed mid-sentence. "We both agreed to an open relationship."

"Oh," Freed finished with a deflated sigh.

"Exactly, a damn booty call."

"Whatever," he growled. "We're both adults and it's what we want."

Freed studied him for a moment before thankfully conceding with nothing more than a nod before he went about burying himself in a book. He knew he would not get off so easy with the Brunette. She was like him in the fact that she preferred having the last word. And she didn't disappoint.

"I still don't like it, agreed or not. That girl is gonna get hurt and you know it."

Laxus shook his head and leaned back in his chair. He wasn't going to argue on this anymore. He felt good about the deal with Lucy. Just the mention of her name and he couldn't help but glance around until he spotted her walking across the guild hall. Her eyes met his and he gave a small smirk. She was wearing jeans that hugged those dangerous curves of hers and he knew why her top covered a little more flesh than normal. He remembered every single mark he'd left on her creamy flesh and even now it hardened his cock. She knew where he stood and she'd readily agreed. They were both going into this with eyes wide opened. _Can't be hurt if you know what you're doing._ "Ever," he said flatly. "Do me a favor and go paint your nails or something. This shit is over with."

* * *

Lucy was glad to get away from her teammates, needing the reprieve from questions and harping. Neither of them would really understand. They both knew what they wanted, had it in the palm of their hands. They didn't have to question themselves or each other. The only thing she could say for certain about herself was that she needed to change. She needed to be able to depend on herself, find what made her happy, be better, stop planning and just go for it. Easier said than done given her first _Go for it_ moment had led to the destruction of a friendship. Guilt rose up and she mentally chastised herself. It was one thing she needed to change. She needed to stop feeling so damn responsible for everyone else's happiness.

 _It's what got you into this mess in the first place._

She glanced around as she made her way across the guild hall. One thing she had on her bucket list was to start taking missions with other teams. It wasn't a matter of not wanting to be with Team Natsu. It all boiled down to being able to depend on herself. Every mission with them left her with barely enough to cover the cost of living. Ok, her insane shoe and clothing addiction didn't help. But as long as she'd been with the guild now, she should, at least, have some kind of savings. That was a pipe dream when every job cost more than it made thanks to Natsu, Erza and Gray's destructive habits.

No, going out from time to time with other people would be a good thing. For her and her team. She'd learn to work on her own a bit, making her more of an asset. It would give her a chance to get to know and work with her other _family_ members. Less destruction would mean more money that she could set aside so that she could just enjoy her time with her teammates. They would also feel less stress because they wouldn't have to take impromptu missions to help her cover rent and utilities. Hell, if she used the wealth of knowledge her father had passed down to her about bookkeeping and money, she'd be able to help them financially when they needed it.

As she scanned the faces, she made a mental checklist. She'd never been out with the Strauss Siblings. They were known to be pretty responsible, so it would work. Macao and Wakaba… A chuckle slipped from her lips as she gave a shake of her head. A single girl out with two old perverts probably would not be a smart move. Team Shadowgear was always an option, but the constant bickering happening between Levy and Jet stayed her decision for the time being. Nab was standing at the board as always and she pursed her lips. She didn't know much about him, other than he never took a job. She could be the push he really needed to seriously get out there. There was Max, although his odd attachment to his broom seemed a little weird. Vijeeter could be a good choice, he could teach her interpretive dancing. She and Cana worked really well together, so that was on the list as well.

Her eyes drifted and caught on an intense electric blue pair that made her breath hitch and her feet falter in their step. Getting the opportunity to work with the Raijinshou would be amazing. Getting to learn more about runes from Freed, having a normal girl to talk strategy with in Evergreen, seeing Bickslow's magic work without being on the receiving end. They were all individually powerhouse mages and together, they were just as their name was. The thunder god legion. It was the _God_ part that made her nervous. Looking at the large blond, even from across the room, she could already feel her panties dampening and her knees trembling. He had a little too much affect on her for any work to actually get done. She'd spend all of her time trying to keep her mind off of his naked form instead of learning. The corners of his wide mouth ticked upwards in his smirk as though he knew just how much her body was responding and the decision was made. Going on a mission with him was out of the question until she learned to control her own attraction.

She granted him a half smile before she ripped her gaze away from his. _It's just sex but holy hell is it good._ The thought put a smile back on her face and she stepped up next to Cana at the bar feeling better than she had when she left her team's table. Today was officially the start of her becoming someone else. New and improved.

"Lucy, you look like you're in a good mood today."

Mira's whimsical, cheery voice only brightened her outlook even more. "I am," she smiled as she set her bag down on the bar top. "Slept like a baby last night."

Cana let out a laugh and nudged her side playfully. "I bet you did."

Lucy hesitantly glanced over at the Brunette and the all too knowing grin that was plastered on the woman's face made her smile falter. She knew Cana well enough to know the girl officially knew something. And that scared her because she sucked ass at keeping anything on the down low. "And what do you mean by that?"

"Ohhhh maybe just that a little birdie told me about you and a certain Dragon Slayer knocking boots."

 _I knew it. I just fucking knew it, goddamn rumor mill._

"Then she told me and now I want details," Mira added excitedly. "When's the wedding? How soon will you two start making babies?"

Her hands shot up as she started choking on her own spit. _Babies? What the fuck?_ "Hold your horses, She-Demon" Lucy wheezed. "No wedding, no babies. God, definitely not any babies. Ever."

Cana laughed and lifted a hand to rub her back. "Yeah, he's not exactly the marrying type."

"Sure he is," the Matchmaking Demon practically cooed. The wedding bells and baby showers were already dancing in her azure eyes. "He just hasn't found _the one_."

Those last two words echoed in Lucy's head and she felt her stomach roll. He wasn't her _one_ and she sure as hell wasn't his. _Not in my damn lifetime._ Giving a shake of her head, she rolled her eyes and climbed onto a barstool. "Whatever, can I get a strawberry smoothie please?"

"Sure thing," Mira smiled. "But then you have to tell us all about it."

 _No, no I don't._

Lucy forced herself to smile and gave a nod just to get rid of the creepy demon stare. When it came to the topic of couples and relationships, Mira disappeared only to be replaced by a demon. It wasn't a full body take over, but there wasn't a doubt in her mind that it was one of the psychos living inside the Takeover mage that came out to play. She watched the woman saunter off and practically slumped against the bar. She just wanted to have a good day, live life without questions. Was that too much to ask?

"Ok, so seriously. Laxus?"

The disapproval she heard in Cana's voice made her groan. _Apparently it is._ Lifting her head up, she glanced over at the Brunette and grimaced. "Not you too."

"What?" The Card mage blinked.

The pounding in her head started and she reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose. "I already know where you're going. I just had the same talk with Natsu and Gray."

The Brunette sighed as she glanced across the hall before looking back. "I like the guy, he's a great friend but LuLu…" Her words trailed off for a moment, concern dancing in her amethyst eyes. "You sure that's the one you should be messing with?"

She blinked once. Twice. A solid three times in disbelief. Why was it so hard for others to grasp? It wasn't like she was planning on having a serious future with the guy. And of all people she figured would understand the reasoning there, she thought for sure Cana would be in her corner on this one. She opened her mouth to speak but was quickly cut off with the arrival of a new voice.

"Wait. Who is messing with who?"

 _Go fuck yourself, Karma. Seriously? Of all the people, you throw Erza at me? Who the fuck pissed in your Wheaties today?_

"Lucy," the Requip mage said gravely as she laid a hand on her arm. "Has Eve done something to dishonor you?"

There was never a moment that she prayed harder and wished more for the ability to turn into a rock. Hell, she'd take transforming into a steaming pile of shit if it meant not having to face Erza. No matter what she said or did at that point would spare her the wrath that she was sure to follow. _Defeat…_ "Gods… No," she whined as she dropped her face into her hands. "Eve didn't… Um. Yeah, no."

"Speaking of the kid," Cana prodded. "Did you talk to him yet? Thought I saw him in town yesterday."

 _Go play in traffic, Cana. Please?_ She was pretty sure the Brunette was now just throwing fuel on the fire, hoping for fireworks. She'd made the mistake of confirming sleeping with the kid when she'd talked to the Card mage a few days ago. It was always hard for her to lie, the truth always broadcasted on her face. Ok, and she'd really needed some friendly female advice on how best to deal with Eve's confessed feelings and her complete lack thereof.

"About what?"

Lucy's head shot up at Erza's question and she cut her eyes to Cana in warning, needing her to keep her mouth shut. "Nothing," she quickly interjected. "Just… Just had to tell him that I wasn't interested in a relationship right now."

The Requip mage frowned and studied her for a moment before relenting with a sigh. "Shame, he was a very nice kid. All those flowers and the candy."

"Don't forget the cards," Mira added as she walked back up and set a glass full of strawberry smoothie down on the bar. "That poor boy really likes you."

"He did," Lucy mumbled.

Cana reached over to stick her finger into the smooth and laughed when it got slapped. "And to think she sold it for Playboy of the year."

"What?" Erza choked as her fingers tightened on Lucy's arm.

 _Fuck me. Just… Right in the damn ass._ "Um," Lucy winced. "About that…"

The Requip mage stared wide-eyed at her, the woman's lips moving without a sound in shock before she could muster control of herself. Pulling away, she turned to look over in the direction of the Raijinshuu's table before turning back with a shake of her head. "No. Definitely not," she said gravely. "Lucy, I like him well enough but he's not a good match for you."

"That's what I'm saying," Cana sighed.

"You guys," Mira cut in. "That's not fair."

Cana gasped and turned a sour look on the white-haired Mage. "Why? You know his reputation as well as I do."

"Yes, but-"

"Could we not discuss my sex life, please?" Lucy finally growled, cutting Mira off. She glanced around at the three in exasperation. Not only was this not up for debate in her eyes, but it sure as hell wasn't something they should be discussing in the guild hall. Too many ears when she preferred her private life stay just that. Private.

Erza glared at her for a moment before her hand moved to the hilt of her sword. "Oh, we're discussing it. I will not allow him to soil your maidenhood.'

Cana tried to cover her snicker with clearing her voice. "Uh…"

Lucy glared at the Brunette to keep her from elaborating as she barely maintained control over the raging psychopath inside of her that oh so desperately wanted to rip all of their heads off. These were the same women who had all consoled her at the Honeybone after the Eclipse Gate incident. They'd all told her she needed to let things go and find what made her happy. They'd all told her to find someone new and forget about her heartbreak with Natsu. Yet, here they all were, damning her for doing just that. "Erza," she said tightly. "While a gallant gesture, I lost my V card a long time ago so let go of the oversized knife on your side."

"What?" The Requip mage blinked. "Tell me who so I can go remove his head."

"That's not ne-"

"Natsu," Cana added all too quickly to cut her off which got her the glare of death.

Mira's eyes widened and immediately darted across the hall to land on the Dragon Slayer in question before she looked back in confusion. "But, he's gay."

 _Exactly why I didn't want everyone knowing, Nosey Fucks. Note to self, poison Cana's next barrel with imodium._ "Yeah, but…" Lucy started only to pause. How the hell did she explain that it was before he came out without it sounding like she was the one who made him that way? "Yeah."

"N-Natsu?" Erza stuttered.

Lucy sighed as she watched her teammate desperately trying to wrap her mind around the idea. "Don't ask," she said as she lifted a hand. "Just… can we drop this please?"

When silence fell on the small group, she let go of the breath she'd been holding only to be sucker punched when Erza spoke up again.

"I can forgive Natsu, but I'm opposed to a relationship with Laxus."

 _You'd be opposed to God himself!_ She loved her friends, she did and could somewhat understand their opposition. They were just trying to look out for her, but she didn't really need it. She didn't want their nay-saying. "Guys-"

"LuLu," Cana cut her off. "He's a nice enough guy in the guild\, but he's… Well, a man-whore."

"Cana, I-" Mira started but quickly stopped and a look of hesitation came over her face. "I-I would have to agree."

Lucy glanced between Erza and the Takeover mage, her brows furrowing as the two exchanged a series of odd looks between them. It struck her as weird, but she pushed it away. There was no telling what it was and she had more important things to deal with. Their nosey insistence being top of the list. "Well, it's not really your choice," she said matter-of-factly. "It's mine."

The Requip mage's face softened a little with a sigh. "He is only going to hurt you, Lucy."

She gave an uncaring shrug of her shoulder. She'd have to be invested to be hurt, but she wasn't. She knew better than to trust Laxus with something like her heart. Even if she was in a place to give it, which she wasn't, she knew better. "Like I told Gray and Natsu, it's just sex. It's not like a serious relationship, it's open."

"Lucy!" Mira gasped.

The Requip mage's eyes bulged as she gaped at Lucy. "Ju-just se-" she stammered in her struggle with saying the words. "N-no, that is not you. I will go cut off his head for even suggesting a thing li-"

Lucy groaned when the redhead reached for her sword once more and turned to leave. She quickly reached out to grab her arm, stopping her short. "You will do no such thing," she growled. "Erza, him and I both discussed it and we _both_ want that."

"But-"

"I'm just not ready," she said to cut the woman off again. "I don't want anything serious right now."

Cana stared at her for a few moments before turning back to her stein of beer. "Lulu, I love you. You know that," she grimaced. "But, I don't see you just doing casual sex."

"Why?" Lucy snapped back, tired of everyone's apparent lack of faith in her ability to do anything other than breath. All they saw was a sweet, innocent little girl who needed to be protected. "I've done it before. You guys act like I'm some green virgin."

Erza blinked and waved a hand dismissively, proving her point. "Well, you've only ever been with Natsu."

"And Jason and Eve and that one guy," Cana added. "What was his name? Oh! And Mys-"

Lucy couldn't move fast enough as she quickly slapped a hand over the Card mage's mouth. Enough of her secrets had been divulged and the last thing she needed was Erza flipping a lid over her tryst with Mystogan. He admittedly looked too much like the Requip mage's unrequited love and she clearly remembered the hurt the woman had suffered when she found out. "It doesn't really matter who I've been with," she quipped with a pointed look at the Brunette.

"I knew you went on a date with Jason," Mira pondered. "And of course, I saw you at the ball with Eve. But Mys? Who was that?"

She forced a smile, willing her voice to remain impassive as she replied. "It's no one important."

Erza's eyes narrowed a fraction. "Ok, but again, you were dating those men."

"Not all of them."

Cana slapped her hand away with a scowl. "Name one that you were with and was seeing other people at the same time."

She blinked at the challenger, her head instantly falling empty as she tried to come up with an answer. "Well. Um…"

"Exactly," the Brunette replied with a roll of her eyes. "Being a fuck buddy is a hell of a lot different."

 _Does it really fucking matter if it's what I want?_ "Cana-"

"Not to mention it's degrading to you," Erza reprimanded. "You deserve a lot better.

 _No, I deserve to be able to live my life as I damn well choose._ "That-"

"Exactly," Mira smiled. "One who'll give you plenty of babies."

 _What the fuck is wrong with you people?_ "I don't-"

Cana let out a shrill laugh to cut her off. "I don't think Lucy really wants babies."

 _Finally, someone fucking gets that shit._ "Exactly, I-"

"No," Erza said as though she hadn't been talking. "But she deserves a guy who will treat her like the beautiful woman she is."

 _Laxus did that. I felt like a million fucking Jewels before you bitches started breaking me down!_ She held up a hand to cut back in, wanting and needing to defend herself. But it was completely useless as the hens kept clucking to the point of her just wanting to slam her head into a brick wall.

"So you've noticed?" Mira questioned as she turned a seemingly suspicious eye on the Requip mage.

"W-well who hasn't?" Erza stammered.

Cana gave a laugh and reached around to grab a handful of Lucy's boob. "Oh, I've definitely noticed as has most of the men and women in this damn building."

"SHUT UP ALREADY AND STOP FUCKING TOUCHING ME!"

Unable to contain the mounting rage inside of her any longer, Lucy let go with a scream that could have easily shattered glass. She was done, finished, ready to punch all three of them in the throat hard enough that her fist exited their damn vaginas.

"GOD! Can I just get a word in here for my damn self?"

The women in front of her went wide eyed in shock, unable to blink and she couldn't give a single fuck. Not even a nano portion of one. The sudden sound of crickets and silence failed to reach her ears for the raging sounds of her blood boiling.

"Lucy-"

She cut her eyes at the Redhead and could practically feel the fire oozing from between her lips when she spoke to cut her off. "No! I'm not a child, goddamn it. I'm a grown ass woman who can handle my own shit. Yet all three of you," she seethed. "All fucking three of you who are supposed to be my friends, great fucking support there by the way. You're standing there discussing my fucking life and my decisions as though I was a five-year-old. My own damn mother, god rest her soul, treated me with more respect and she kicked the bucket when I was only ten!"

Mira reached over to gently lay a hand on her arm. "Lucy, Honey. We really-"

"Really didn't mean it?" Lucy screamed as she turned her angry gaze on the Takeover mage. "Mira. Sorry, but a big damn newsflash. There won't be _any_ spawns of Satan coming out of my vajajay anytime soon, so hang that shit up. I get the shot, I'm anal about it and I'd throw myself off the damn bell tower if it stopped working."

Turning her gaze next to the Requip mage, she forced herself to ignore the way the woman flinched. "Erza, I lost my damn _virgin_ card a long time ago and guess what? It was quite willingly. Sure, alcohol was pretty much involved but then isn't that the story for so damn many of us here? I happen to like sex. A lot. Stop threatening to cut off the damn head of every man who looks my way and get over it."

She saw the woman fish-lip in her attempt at a rebuttal, but she was on a roll. She turned her gaze finally to the last of them and was unable to keep her disappointment at bay when she spoke. "And you, Cana. Seriously? You know me, as well… Hell, probably better than they do. We've talked and I mean _really talked_ , so you should know better. I'm not the goody two shoes you seem to think I am."

The Brunette smirked and gave a quick wink. "If you say so, LuLu."

"I do," Lucy quickly shot back before taking a deep breath in some sort of attempt to get her vexation back under control. She could practically feel her heart pounding in her head. "This is _my_ life, Ladies. That means it's my choice what I do or _don't'_ do. If I wanted to create my own damn harem, I would because it would be _my_ choice. I don't want a serious relationship, in the least. What Laxus and I have agreed to, not that it's any of your business, it works for both of us. This is my decision, so deal with it. I get that you're all concerned, but trust me. I've got this."

Erza blinked a couple of times and swallowed hard before she dared to speak. "I… I apologize, Lucy. I-I didn't realize," she practically whispered. "You are right, it is your life and I should be more… conscientious of that. Please punch me in the face."

"Me too, Lucy," Mira added. "Just… know that we're here though if you need us. We're Nakama, we love you and only want what's best."

Cana held up a stein of beer. "What they said, want a beer now?"

"No, no beer thanks." Lucy chuckled before turning a quick, reproachful smile on the other two. "I didn't mean to yell, but… Yeah."

Without wanting to wait for another word, or Erza to get her balls back and pound her ass into the ground for going off, she turned to leave only to come to a screeching halt. The fact that every single eye in the guild was staring at her, jaws on the floor, explained the creepy silence that was finally registering. _Way to go, Lucy. Air all your dirty laundry in front of the entire guild._ She gave an uneasy smile before her eyes darted towards the Raijinshuu table and a shiver ran down the length of her spine when they met the amused, but heated gaze of her _impromptu lover_ in question. If she didn't know any better, she'd say he looked impressed by her little display. But what was there to be impressed over? She'd just outed their relationship to the world (because the rumor mill would have this worldwide in about five point five seconds).

Swallowing hard, she tore her gaze away and made a quick grab for her bag before high-tailing it towards the door. Now was the time for her to go home and play masochist by beating herself senseless for losing control the way she'd done. Not only had she stood up to the Demon and Juggernaut, but she'd kind of told them all to go to hell in a way. _Well. You wanted change…_ She reached the doors in time for it to swing open on her and she practically groaned when she found not only a surprised Gajeel standing there. But at his side was the thought hearing, snake-loving Dragon Slayer of doom.

Cobra smirked and leaned over to whisper to the Iron Dragon Slayer loud enough for her to hear. "And this is why I'm fucking gay."

Lucy gave a roll of her eyes and moved to brush past them. _I really don't need any misogynistic 'women are nothing but drama' bullshit or Gajy jumping my ass._ "Fuck off, Cobra."

He laid a hand on her arm for just a moment and narrowed his eyes. "It's not really the theatrics," he smirked. "It's the smell of an excited pussy in the morning, huge turnoff. But don't fucking lump us in with the drama whores in this building. You fuck who you want, Titselina."

"Erik," Gajeel growled.

Her jaw dropped and she blinked at the maroon-haired man. While his words were crude, probably meant to insult, she understood the underlying meaning. She gave a nod of her head and pulled away to lean up and brush her lips against Gajeel's cheek. "Keep this one," she whispered before continuing on her way.

* * *

 **So… yeah. Apparently everyone seems to be against our two anti-love birds being together lol. But, Lucy did stand up for herself. Finally. She's changing and that's pretty important to her. I just don't think she meant for the whole guild to hear LOL. And friggin Cobra. I swear! I did NOT mean for him to be in there but he just snuck in. He's a Lucy supporter in his own way haha.**

 **A little side note, the name and idea from this chapter came from an Incubus song playing when I was plotting out chapters and thought I'd share with you guys.**

 **watch?v=KoPlkmYaEQs**

 **The next update should be for _Soulful Fugue_ but I have to admit, _Sound Pod_ is really calling me so... we shall see!**

 **Also! A huge note. Dragon'shost is hosting this year's CoLu week again. I am going to try and participate, but we shall see how it works out.**

 **It will take place on June 19th - June 25th, with June 26th being a bonus day.**

 **The prompts for each day are as follows:**

 **Day 1 - Eternity**

 **Day 2 - Excuses**

 **Day 3 - Online**

 **Day 4 - Colour**

 **Day 5 - Answers**

 **Day 6 - Raspberry**

 **Day 7 - Energy**

 **Bonus - Aurora**

 **As always, please remember to follow, fav and review!**

 **Big hugs,**

 **Princess Nana**


	11. FWB

**A/N: Almost 2 years. When I realized it's been that long since I've updated this, I cried. But, I do that a lot lately so I'm kinda used to it lol. For those of you who follow my other stories or follow on tumblr know about the issues I've had that has affected my writing. So, I won't beg for forgiveness or promise that I will have the next updated by next week. Writing is still very hard for me and I ask for your patience and understanding.**

 **With that said…**

 **This chapter is dedicated to** _ **Musicera.**_

 **Thank you so much for reaching out to me when you did. Thank you for the tears and the reminder that I'm not as awful as I feel. Your words and encouragement became a beacon of light for me in a very dark time where my writing is concerned. I will never be able to express just how much your support and friendship means.**

 **And as always, a huge thank you to my triplet sister from another mister…** _ **Leoslady4ever**_ **. Thank you for assuring me that this doesn't suck as much as I fear. And I promise we'll get back there. I've got faith and I love you.**

* * *

 **Chapter 10 - FWB**

A stream of bright light falling across her eyes pulled Lucy from sleep and with a grimace, she tried to raise an arm to block it. Only it didn't budge, her entire left side was pinned to the bed. It was then that she became acutely aware of the soft sound of a gentle snore beside her, the heat radiating from skin pressed flush to her side. A heavy weight laid over her legs and stomach. Panic flashed and disappeared as quickly as it had come. She didn't have to open her eyes to know just whose face she'd see there next to her. But she couldn't resist looking anyway.

With a turn of her head, her eyelids fluttered open and she was greeted by one blonde Adonis. Laxus Dreyar. Grandson of Fairy Tail's Guild Master, leader and team proclaimed deity of the Raijinshou, Sorcerer Weekly's x791's Sexiest Man Alive, playboy extraordinaire. _And my sorta kinda boyfr… No. Fuck Buddy? Gods, that just sounds vulgar. Just go with FWB, Lucy. For Pete's sake._

Friends with benefits. It really was the only label to give him, even if she wasn't necessarily sure if she could call him _friend_ just yet. Four weeks had passed since they'd agreed to their strange relationship. She had anticipated it to be much like it had started. He'd call or show up when either of them wanted a piece, they'd have mind-numbing sex and he'd leave. And it had been that way at first.

The first week had been adventurous but definitely just sex as it happened at odd times snuck in at the guild. The keg cellar, the library, the third-floor broom closet, his newly acquired office. His desk was surprisingly the perfect height and she had no doubts that he most likely had it crafted that way. In any case, it was truly a _grab-n-go_ type of affair with no rhyme or reason to their meetings. It was just sex, hard and fast as though they were simply scratching an itch.

The second week had moved into somewhat more normal territory with him meeting her at her house at night after missions or the daily grind. There might have been one _quick grab_ at the guild one morning. Lucy had shown up to meet Erza and Wendy for a quick mission. They were late and Laxus was early for meeting with Makarov. They'd merely exchanged morning pleasantries before it digressed into him dragging her into the kitchen pantry. Word had yet to get out on whether their broken shelf had been discovered yet.

The third week brought about going out to public places. Bars, dinner outings with his team, game night up at the guild with other nakama. That always led to the two of them leaving with a little bit of a buzz and going back to her place. There wasn't a surface in her apartment that hadn't been used or visited in their escapades. And it always ended with him leaving out before sleep set in.

But that had all changed in the last week.

Saturday night, she'd met him up at Sticks and Suds for a few games of billiards and a couple of drinks. It had been the closest they'd had to a date since they'd started. Just the two of them, enjoying time together. They'd laughed, jammed to music - she'd discovered he preferred rock, classic rock being his ultimate go to. He, through his own interest, learned more about her magic, her spirits. That night had been different and it marked a shift in what it was they were doing. Later, after a healthy (maybe borderline not so healthy) round of sex that had begun against the door and ended in her bed, he'd stayed.

She'd woken up that next morning to find him where he was now.

Every night since, whether they went out or met up at her place after their own missions. They would come together physically. It would go until the point of exhaustion, until they both fell on the bed gasping for air and without an ounce of strength to do much more than lay there. She'd fall asleep to the sound his breathing leveling back out only to wake to the sight of him beside her. And she was struggling with exactly how to feel about that.

Part of Lucy liked it, liked having him there.

Things were comfortable with him. She didn't have to hide who she was inside. If it came to mind, she could just say it and he wouldn't even blink. If a perverse thought crossed her mind, there was no issue in just saying it without any judgments. If she had a horrible thought about someone who irked her, she could tell him and he'd laugh along with her. She didn't have to be the perfect team or guildmate. There was no pressure to make others happy or plaster a fake smile to keep the peace.

She definitely didn't have to hide the little imperfections she saw when she looked in the mirror. His desire didn't wane when her shirt and bra came off to reveal the faded stretch marks on the sides of her boobs. He paid no mind nor hesitated when his fingers found their way under her skirt and skirted over the lines she knew were on her hips. Despite her best attempts, she wasn't always able to match her bra to her panties and it never once kept him from diving into the sea of sexual pleasures. Not one thing phased him and he kept coming back for more.

Hell. It wasn't like any relationship she'd ever been in. There was no pressure to _impress_ each other at all. Countless times he'd come over while she was already in comfy lounging clothes. A few times she'd looked an absolute wreck thanks to Natsu's not so great control out on a mission. Singed hair and soot smudges were not overly sexy but that didn't dissuade Laxus. He still had looked at her like she was a tall drink of water after being stranded in a desert.

She was still unsure why.

Laxus was fucking gorgeous. She'd always thought so but up close and personal, she got extremely familiar with just how beautiful he was. His body was like that of Bernini's _David_ or Rodin's _Thinker_ , only better. His face was so perfectly molded. Everything from his heavy brow to the perfect line of his nose to the impeccable cheekbones and jawline. Even his scar, the biggest imperfection according to him, was so well suited to his features. It made him sexier, if that were even possible. The tattoos, hands, legs, ass… there wasn't a single part of him that she didn't drool over.

And having someone to sleep next to was kinda nice as well. She didn't have to worry about leaving the window open now like she had once Natsu stopped coming by unexpectedly. If a cool wind came down off of the mountains, she didn't have to worry about getting a chill. Laxus was like an electric blanket without the hassle of a cord and no outlet needed. His side was perfectly molded so that she fit _just so_ next to him.

Therein laid all of her problems. Sex aside, it was feeling like a relationship. Dates, sleeping over… monogamy. Yes, they had agreed to companionship but it was supposed to be open. No emotions, no attachments. If she got too comfortable next to him, if he kept treating her like she was the only one - She'd get attached. Already, she could feel herself warming to him. She could see it in the way even now she pressed herself closer and allowed his warmth to pull her back in.

This wasn't what they'd agreed to and yet, she couldn't bring herself to remind him of that. _Maybe Cana was right._ The thought soured her mood and she carefully began the process of extracting herself from the cocoon of his embrace. Gently, not to disturb him, she managed to lift his arm and shimmy her way out from under his leg. Already she felt chilled and wanted to rush back but she resisted as she rolled off the bed.

Damn her friends for having no faith and damn her for having no backbone. Had the last two months not been enough proof for her to stay the course? Had she already forgotten the pain she felt when Natsu went to Gray and not her? Had she already forgotten the pain she'd caused a dear friend? She could still see the hurt, the betrayal on Eve's face. No, she had not forgotten but it could be so easy to lose herself.

This was supposed to be different. This was supposed to be just sex. No love, no mushy romance crap. If she didn't pull her head out of her ass, it could go south really quick. And Laxus was not the one to fuck up with. He could and would hurt her. She knew that, as surely as her own name, he would crush her if things got complicated. She'd find herself in pain again, in pain and all alone. She couldn't risk that.

Quietly, Lucy crossed her room to fetch undergarments from the dresser and closed herself in the bathroom. Her muscles ached from the workout the night before and sweat had left what felt like a layer of grime on her skin. A shower was calling her name and she was definitely going to answer. Turning on the water and hitting the power button on the small radio, her mind wandered while she waited for it to heat up. The music did little to distract her and as much as she tried to keep it away, it wandered to the man in her bed.

She did have to give it to him where skill was concerned. He was by far the best lover she'd ever had. Nearly every day for the last month, often multiple times during said days, he'd brought her to and over the edge of orgasmic bliss. There was never any telling him what she liked, it was as though he knew. His touch was always in the right spots, his fingers always just tight enough, his hand perfectly firm. His lips, teeth, and tongue seemed to know her body better than she knew it herself. So many times he gave her exactly what she was craving before she even knew she wanted it.

Looking around her bathroom, she chuckled. She'd never given much thought to its size as it had always just been her. The tub was just right, the shower head at the perfect height. The solitary sink was no issue and the small vanity was perfect. Until they'd made their way in during one of their sexual pursuits. They'd both just barely fit into the tub and had opted for the shower only find it was too low. The vanity had not given out when he'd sat her on it but the groaning it made did give way to her mentally noting to never try that again.

 _I wonder just how big his bathroom is…_

The thought gave way to a frown as she stepped into the shower and let the liquid warmth wash over her. It had not occurred to her until then that not once had he invited her back to his place. She wasn't even sure where it was even located. Was it inside the city or out? Was it an apartment or a house? Did he live with one of the guys or alone? It didn't seem very fair that they always used her place and never his. But then… _Maybe that's how he's keeping his distance?_

It was definitely something she'd question, but it could wait. She'd made a commitment to herself to do everything differently, to be different. Having a mushy relationship with expectations, allowing the others in the guild to be right, to repeat the same mistakes - that wasn't making a change. It was living in the footsteps of someone she wanted to forget… Herself.

* * *

" _I'm gonna love you… Like I'm gonna lose you…"_

Laxus shot up in the bed, sleep still fogging his mind and aiding the rising panic. Those words…

The sound of water running, the shower he finally discerned and music finally registered. It helped to quell some of the fear that had rocked his dream state like a 10 point earthquake. But there was no use in lying, it had scared the shit out of him. To be completely honest, it still did. His heart was still pounding, his chest still heaving as he worked to get his breathing back under control.

 _All because she had to go singing in the fucking shower._

One good sniff at the air, a quick look around and his fingers came up to pinch the bridge of his nose. He'd gone and done it again. Another night, spent in the bed of one Lucy Heartfilia. It was not supposed to be this fucking complicated. It was only supposed to be a piece of ass but he'd gone and made it something more. All against his better judgment, and now he was paying for it.

She was in there singing some kind of sappy ass love song, and he was having none of that shit. He quickly rolled out of bed and started searching for his clothes. That quickly proved to be a daunting, and probably dangerous, task as he stubbed his toe on the leg of the bed. Then he tripped over his own boot, nearly taking out the divider that separated her bedroom space from that of the rest of her studio apartment. He'd only just caught himself before crashing into it. Then he'd stepped on an earring. Only biting his lip to the point of bleeding kept him from shouting a string of curses that would make a sailor blush.

He finally found the trail of clothes they'd left behind from the door and through the sitting area to the bedroom. His t-shirt with hers laid over it, he could smell her as he pulled the garment over his head. His jeans were laid over the knocked over lamp, and his boxer briefs were hanging from the corner of her dresser. A sock was on one side of the bed while the other was found peeking out from under the other side.

 _What the fuck are you doing, Dreyar?_

His own question gave him reason for pause, and it ended his frantic search as he plopped down on the side of her bed. Head in hands, his fingers curled into his hair before pulling them down over his face. He was making shit worse was what he was doing. Sleeping in her bed? He didn't do that shit, and yet there he was. Before her, he didn't do relationships either and again, there he was.

He just couldn't understand why. Sure, she was fucking good in bed. If he dropped out of asshole warp for more than three seconds, he'd even admit that she was by far the best sex partner he'd ever had. She was open and gave just as good as she got, sometimes even better. No one else before had managed to curl his toes or make him lose control the way she did. And a month of contemplating it, getting to know her, he still wasn't any closer to the elusive _why._

At first, it had been her anger and oh how he loved her when she was angry.

The day she'd stood up in the guild to those gossip-mongering, busy-bodied whores. It was just like when she stood up to him, only sexier. He was able to sit on the sidelines and watch as her hair lifted with the flames of hell igniting in her eyes. He'd never been one for nuclear women but when she went apocalyptic, it got him. So much so that it blinded him to sanity. He could only think about taming her inner devil, bending her over and fucking her into submission.

Just thinking about it now, mixing in the heady smell of sex that lingered in her bed and the natural aroma that was all her billowing from the bathroom; he was already hard and raring to go again. And that was part of the problem, part of the reason he needed to get the fuck out of there. She'd come out, it would be awkward, he'd want to throw her down and fuck her again as though he owned her. And part of him _wanted_ to own her.

He quickly finished pulling on his clothes and boots. He did a final check, grabbing his wallet and keys from the nightstand to shove in his pockets. There was no more reason to delay, and he quickly made for the door. But as he passed the bathroom door, his steps faltered to a stop, and he found himself looking at the closed barrier. Steam drifted from under the bottom, and he could hear her still singing inside.

It was a different song, not one he knew nor was it one he really cared about. It was some jazzy little tune that really didn't leave a mark, but her singing did. Without even realizing what he was doing, he leaned in against the frame and let the sound her voice wash over him like a wave. It was soothing in a way he didn't expect. Familiar in a way he couldn't explain, but he knew he'd never heard it before.

He reached for the knob and just as his fingertips met the cool surface of metal, he snapped back to his senses. His hand drew back with all of the quickness of someone who'd been burned and he glared at the door as though it had personally offended him. _Like her singing? Are you fucking kidding me, Dreyar? God, you're so fucking whipped you stupid puss ass motherfucker._

Teeth gnashing so hard together it hurt, Laxus stormed off towards the door and made his hasty exit. He was allowing her to affect him. She wasn't a real girlfriend, this wasn't a real relationship, and he needed to remind himself of that fact. He needed to remember she was nothing more than a steady piece of ass. He quickly flew down the stairs and was just reaching for the door when a voice called out to him.

"Oh! Mr. Dreyar!"

He internally cringed at the familiar, high pitched voice of Lucy's landlady, Agnes. His day was only getting worse by the minute. At the rate it was going, a full-on zombie apocalypse would be spreading across Fiore by lunchtime, and he'd be part of the walking dead by nightfall. He didn't have time for this shit, but the woman knew his grandfather.

Forcing a calm, jovial expression on his face, he turned to offer the woman a kind smile. "Mrs. Agnes, how are you this fine morning?"

The older woman practically beamed up at him, flashing him a smile that was full of lipstick coated teeth. "I'm doing just fine," she said. "Thank you for asking. Are you here to collect our Lucy?"

 _Does she seriously not own a fucking mirror?_

The silk house robe the woman wore was way too thin, outlining her dreadfully sagging chest among other unattractive sights. It was only made worse by the fuzzy, heeled slippers that her swollen feet were practically crammed into. He was pretty sure the purple shade of her toes had nothing to do with healthy blood flow or nail polish. Rollers adorned her gray hair and the makeup job looked like perhaps little Asuka had played a part in applying it.

But he had to be nice, and he only _just_ managed to keep his friendly smile. "I was, but she didn't answer. I thought I heard the shower running."

"That girl," Agnes chuckled. "She'll be late to her own funeral, and she takes more baths than anyone I know. But I must thank you for looking after her the way you do. I've noticed you coming and going from the building a lot nowadays."

 _Nosy, old bitch!_

He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. Her snooping really shouldn't concern him but it did. What business was it of hers who Lucy fucked? What business was it of hers when he came and went from Lucy's apartment? "Well, as my girlfriend, it's my job to take care of her."

Shock registered on the old woman's face before she giddily clapped. "Oh my, that's wonderful news! I'm so happy you two are dating. Your grandfather must be so happy."

He was barely able to contain his reaction to her useless response. His grandfather didn't know, and it wasn't any of his damn business. He wasn't even sure why he felt the need to tell her other than to get her off his back. This was all just more trouble than it was worth, and yet there he was digging himself deeper. _You need to run._ "Actually, I need to get going. He's expecting me up there to help him with some stuff at the guild."

"Such a good boy," Anges smiled. "Please tell him hello for me but would you like me to give Lucy a note or message that you stopped by?"

Laxus felt the ticking in his jaw as the voice in his head went on a serious fucking rampage. _A note? A motherfucking note? Fuck Buddies don't leave fucking notes and there you go again with all the fucks. FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCKETY FUCK FUCK FUCKS! Fuck you and your notes, you goddamn old hag! Crawl back into the damn caldron that spit you out!_

"No ma'am," he managed to grit out between clenched teeth and fake smile. "I slipped one under her door."

The old woman nodded and gave him a smile. "Very well. Have a good day, Mr. Dreyar."

"You too, Mrs. Agnes."

It took everything he had to calmly turn and walk from the building instead of running from the damn thing like it was on fire. Notes. Lucy. Nosey old ladies. Laxus wasn't sure how much of this he could actually take. He'd left her a note once, and he was still unsure why he'd felt obligated to even then. Perhaps it was that she was nakama, but it didn't matter now. They had set rules; she knew the perimeters of their relationship.

No. He didn't have to go leaving her any damn notes.

Although, if he did, he wasn't exactly sure what he'd even write. Thanks for the fuck? The idea made him chuckle a bit as he hurried along the street. That would actually be kinda funny if the thought of doing it didn't give him a case of the hives. He shouldn't be sleeping over every fucking night of the week for this to even be an issue. That was something he needed to rectify and quick. But even still, he didn't feel the need to leave any notes.

This wasn't a touchy, feely relationship. They were fuck buddies who fucked other people. _Then why haven't you fucked anyone else?_ The thought struck and he instantly stopped in his tracks. It was true. That was supposed to be part of the deal, an open relationship. He'd allowed his hunger for her drive this for too long, and it was taking them in a direction he didn't want to go.

But that was going to stop.

He started moving again off towards the clearing of the park where he could use his lightning port without waking half the town with its thunder. He hadn't really felt the need to look at other women the past few weeks, but he knew he had to make himself do it. If this was going to work, it was time he put their little deal into motion. _Tonight_...

* * *

Lucy took a bite of her bacon and lazily chewed as she studied the paper in front of her. It was her third attempt now in as many weeks. Her conscience, as much as she wanted to forgo all that she was, just wouldn't allow her to avoid it. A letter of an apology, or something of the like, to Eve. He deserved some sort of explanation but she hadn't a clue what to say.

She could tell him the truth but then she wasn't even sure what that was at the moment. And what she did know was just a series of lame excuses and dumbass decisions strung together to make one colossal fuckup. She regretted it, regretted hurting him. He was and always had been a friend. That wasn't how one repaid someone for their kindness and concern.

"No one should be thinkin' that hard in the mornin'."

Lifting her head, Lucy looked up to find Gajeel taking a seat across from her and she shrugged. "Just trying to write a letter and the words are failing me."

"Words," he smirked. "Failin' you? That's like Shrimp not havin' a book to read."

Unable to resist, she laughed at the spot on analogy. For someone who all too often kept to himself, Gajeel knew more about people than they realized. She had to wager that he might just be more _in the know_ on people than Mira. And that was saying something. "Unfortunately," she grimaced. "It's a letter to Eve."

Gajeel's pierced brows raised, and he gave a hum. "Speaking of, so… You and Lightning Rod?"

She should've known that was coming. He'd not said much to her since their return from the games, and that was out of character. They usually talked daily, even if she was out on a mission with the team. He was her go to when she needed an honest opinion or real advice. But, like everyone else, she really didn't want his disapproval and knew exactly what was coming. She intended to stop it before it began. "So," she replied. "You and Cobra?"

The Slayer grinned as he reached across the table to steal a piece of bacon from her plate. "Point taken."

A twinge of guilt pulled at her strings, and she let out a heavy sigh. If there was anyone in the guild who wasn't judgmental, it was Gajeel Redfox. It was why she could talk to him about anything and trusted him with secrets she couldn't even tell Levy, Cana or Erza. He also didn't need to be the catch-all for her frustration where Laxus was concerned.

The only good thing about her morning was that he'd been gone when she got out of the had been a saving grace because she'd fretted over the awkward goodbye she knew would've come had he still been there. Every morning, it was strained as they dressed together, and she'd see him out with a weird, uncomfortable hug. Just recalling it made her shudder. "I'm just not ready to talk about it yet."

"Bunny," he said before pushing up from the table. "You ain't gotta explain shit to me. You know I'm here if ya need me and I get it."

Her brows furrowed in confusion. "Get what?"

He gave a nod towards the back of the guild, and she turned to see that Cobra had slipped in and was sitting at Gajeel's usual table. "It's somethin' different, and maybe we both just needed out of the ordinary."

She turned and flashed an appreciative smile. "You know…"

"If I wasn't gay," he chuckled. "I know. Stay out of trouble and just don't think so hard about the letter. Say how ya feel and let it be."

And that was why she adored the hell out of the ornery, metal-eating Slayer. He always had a knack for knowing exactly what to say and when. She watched as he strode off across the guild to take a seat at his table. His usual _someone pissed in my cheerios_ scowl was settled firmly back in place, but it was there in the depths of his crimson eyes. When he looked at the maroon-haired Slayer sitting across from him, there was something. Not quite love, but she knew he was definitely falling _in like_.

Happy he might have found something worth keeping, she turned to face her own issue. The godforsaken letter. Lucy picked up her pen and tapped it against her lips as though it was going to magically pull the words from her brain. _Say how ya feel and let it be._ Perhaps she was just overthinking it. She'd already hurt him so there was really no reason to fear there. The damage was done so explaining it and offering the apology would just be good enough.

She gave a nod, putting the pen to paper and began to write. Only it wasn't meant to be when two hands came crashing down on the table, shaking it and making the pen slide mid-stroke across the page. Daring to look up, she had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing. Any anger she might have had for being so rudely interrupted fled as she took in the tall, Blond's appearance.

Laxus, for the first time since she'd met him oh so long ago, stood there looking like he was scared. Terrified really. Eyes wide, hair unnaturally out of place and the look of sheer dread filling those beautiful electric blue pools. It shocked her, to say the least, and she started to say something when he cut her off before she began.

"I'm not leaving your ass any damn notes so don't even fucking go there."

 _Okay, because that's not random…_

Lucy blinked and reached up to scratch at her head, at a complete loss as to what he was referring too. She couldn't really recall asking him for a letter or note. "I'm sorry," she started calmly. "Have I missed something? Perhaps a diabolical scheme to take over the world through the use of… _Notes_ , was it?"

It took everything she had to not crack a smile, much less laugh, when Laxus thinned his lips and narrowed his eyes. She knew what was coming and she began the mental countdown. _One, two, three, four, fi-_

"Smart Ass," he grumbled before taking a seat across the table from her. "I know it's only a matter of time before you start demanding I leave notes when I sneak out of your place."

 _Wha-Ohhhhh. Seriously?_

The only help he provided in her plight to _not_ laugh in his face was the fact that she could tell he was completely serious. The tick in his temple from clenching his jaw, the look of terror, the way his fingers curled anxiously into his fists. And the truth of the matter was she knew a _girlfriend_ would do just that.

In her past life, she might have even done it herself. No. She absolutely knew she would. Her desire to have love, to appear _normal_ and _accepted_ was so strong that it had blinded her. Her little shower _pep talk_ had reminded her that was exactly what she didn't want. Until she knew herself and found what _she_ wanted in life, that was the furthest thing from her mind. It would only keep her in the same vicious cycle.

"Laxus, you don't have to leave me any notes."

"I don't need your fucking permission," he growled. "I already said it wasn't going to fucking happen."

 _Don't laugh, Lucy._ "Good."

"Good."

An awkward silence fell over the table and she stared at him, waiting for the big dumb ass to get up and leave. Surely he had no intentions of staying. Why would he? She just knew he had bigger, better things to do and would get up at any moment. But he didn't. Instead, he sat there and looked around as though he was looking for someone before turning back to her.

"So, what are you doing?"

She blinked and pursed her lips. _Wrong again._ "Just writing."

"Mhm," he hummed and reached out to grab the book before she could stop him. "Dear Eve…"

There was no stopping the way she shrunk just a little under the glare he leveled in her direction. If looks could kill, well… She wouldn't be dead but she'd definitely be more akin to a human pin cushion. It was jealousy, pure and simple. All hidden under that cocky, devil may care exterior and in a really fucked up way, she actually found her body responding to it. She'd have to change her panties. Again. _Lucy. Pull your damn head out of your ass._ "Yes?"

"Why are you writing a fucking letter to him?"

She gave a shrug of her shoulder. "I owe him an apology."

"The fuck you do," Laxus growled. "You gave him a chance. It didn't work out, end of story."

"Laxus-"

"No," he stated to cut her off. "It's all part of the rules. He had his one ride and we don't do repeats."

Lucy's stared, her jaw dropping in shock. She wasn't sure if it was more because he was going overboard on his jealousy or if it was because he _forbade_ her from doing something. That shit wasn't going to fly. She yanked the notebook out of his hands and flipped it closed, her anger tainting her vision red. "Laxus," she sneered between gritted teeth. "When your name appears on the _father_ line of my damn birth certificate, then you can tell me what I can and can't do. Until then, go fuck yourself."

"Blondie."

She threw the pad and her pen into her bag and moved to get up but found herself held in place. Looking down, she found his large hand wrapped around her wrist, and she shot him a look as if to ask if he'd lost his mind. "Do you _want_ me to make a scene?"

He quickly let go and threw his hands up, that cocky _barely there_ smirk he always wore plastered on his handsome fucking face. "I'm not telling you what to do, just reminding you of the rules we both agreed to."

"And I'm not writing him to ask him to fuck me!"

The guild hall fell silent, and she looked around to find everyone staring at her. Again. She was becoming her very own soap opera, airing every day at Eleven A.M. on Fairy Television. She gave an awkward but apologetic smile before turning her attention back to the subject of all of her woes. _And pleasure, don't forget that shit._ "I'm not asking him to fuck me," she repeated in a more hushed tone. "You already know how that went, but he was a friend. I owe him an apology for being an absolute dick."

The Slayer's eyes narrowed at her and she could see his hesitation before he responded. "I don't think he deserves it, but as long as it's just an apology."

And that was when it clicked.

The jealousy, the territorial attitude, the demand that she not contact him. Laxus actually feared the kid in a way. It wasn't the jealousy over an ex but more being scared that she might actually go back to that. _He's self-conscious…_ The thought hit her like a brick wall after going ninety miles an hour. The Dragon Slayer was a mortal man and not the god that everyone proclaimed him to be.

Seeing a flaw, knowing a small part of him feared losing her to something more stable did something to her. Something seemed to snap in her chest and she did her dead level best to push it down. Now it was her turn to be afraid. Seeing him as something real, as something as messed up as she was, that could be dangerous. Emotions were built off of less. _I need to get out of here. Now._ "I'm gonna go; I've got laundry and stuff to do."

Again, she made to move to get up but he stopped her short. "What are you doing later?"

 _Getting drunk and breaking out every vibrator I own to keep my ass from calling you_.

"Nothing," she weakly replied. "Just cleaning."

Laxus stood and gave a shake of his head. "Nah, I'm coming to get ya for seven."

 _Noooooo! Be strong, Lucy. You will NOT see him tonight!_

Despite the screaming in her head, she blinked and gave a shrug. "What's the plan?"

"Clubbing," he said before turning and walking away.

She watched him climb the stairs, taking them two at a time. It was only when he was completely gone from sight that she dared to breathe. What on earth had she just done? She was supposed to remind him of their _open_ relationship. She was supposed to _not_ go out with him for the night. It would only end with him back at her place, in her bed.

Sure, her damn snatch was all for it. Even now she could feel it practically weeping in its excitement. But seriously? _God, you're such a fucking slut. For him…_

* * *

 **Again, thank you so much for reading and I ask that you have a little patience. I am working on my stories but it's slow at the moment.**

 **Thank you for the love and encouragement.**

 **Until next time, love and hugs~**

 **Princess Nana**


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